The American Religious Right and James Dobson’s “Family Values Empire”

Authors

  • Paulina Napierała Jagiellonian University, Poland

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.12797/AdAmericam.14.2013.14.08

Abstract

The aim of this article is to discuss the role of such organizations as the Family Research Council and Focus on the Family, which together constitute what is sometimes called Dr. James Dobson’s “family values empire.” Both of these organizations are an important part of the American Religious Right movement. While the Family Research Council has been extremely important in terms of political involvement, it would probably not have been able to gain its strength without cooperation with Focus on the Family, which in many cases served as a tool in its grassroots networking. Therefore, this paper includes an analysis of both organizations’ agendas.

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Author Biography

  • Paulina Napierała, Jagiellonian University, Poland

    Ph.D., is an assistant professor at the Institute of American Studies and Polish Diaspora, Jagiellonian University, Krakow. Her research explores a variety of issues concerning relations between religion and politics in the United States. She conducted her research at: Boston College and Harvard University (Fulbright Fellowship), Institute for Human Sciences, Vienna (Józef Tischner’s Scholarship), J.F. Kennedy Institute, Berlin, University of Michigan, and Stanford University. She has recently published Religia i polityka w USA. Faith-based initiatives w okresie prezydentury G.W. Busha (Religion and Politics in the USA. Faith-based Initiatives during G.W. Bush’s Presidency)

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Published

29-12-2013

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How to Cite

Napierała, Paulina. “The American Religious Right and James Dobson’s ‘Family Values Empire’”. Ad Americam, vol. 14, Dec. 2013, pp. 113-38, https://doi.org/10.12797/AdAmericam.14.2013.14.08.