"Part of God's Plan for My Life": How Conservative Protestant Students Make Sense of Social Forces and Social Inequality. Issue 1 (2nd January 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chan, Stephanie T.
• Is Part Of: Religion & education. Volume 49:Issue 1(2022)
• Page Start: 23
• Page End: 41
• Publication Date: 2022-01-02
• Subjects: Sociology -- inequality -- Christianity; Religion in the public schools -- United States -- Periodicals; Church and education -- United States -- Periodicals; Church and education; Religion in the public schools; United States; Electronic journals; Periodicals; 379.28
• DOI: 10.1080/15507394.2021.2011583
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1550-7394

Abstract

Abstract: Research shows that White conservative Protestants' individualistic views impede their pursuit of structural solutions to social injustice. When introduced to a structural perspective through a sociology course, what religio-cultural tools do conservative Protestant students use to interpret the impact of social factors on their lives? Through an analysis of student reflections, I found that the primary way they made sense of social factors was through a lens of divine control, and this did not vary by social location. A secondary way was viewing them as unfair, a view that was more common among advantaged students than disadvantaged students.