Faculty and Staff Profile

Laura Olson

Educational Background

Ph.D. Political Science
University of Wisconsin-Madison 1996

M.A. Political Science
University of Wisconsin-Madison 1991

B.A. Political Science
Northwestern University 1990

Courses Taught

• American National Government (including Honors sections)
• Introduction to Political Science/Foundations of Political Science
• Religion and American Politics
• Religion and World Politics (original course)
• Religious Liberty and the U.S. Constitution
• Interest Groups and Social Movements (original course)
• Political Parties and Elections
• The United States Congress
• Political Leadership
• Politics and Film
• Professional Development in Political Science (undergraduate; original course)
• Professional Development for Policy Scholars (graduate; original course)
• Graduate seminar on Collective Action (original course)
• Graduate seminar on American National Government
• Graduate seminar on “Religion, Politics, and Public Life” (original course)
• Honors seminar on “The 1960s: A Decade of Change” (original course)
• Honors seminar on “Clergy in American Public Life” (original course)
• Honors seminar on “Religion and Politics in Context: How 1979 Changed Everything” (original course)

Profile

Laura R. Olson is Thurmond Professor of Political Science and affiliated faculty in Religious Studies at Clemson University. She is a two-time U.S. Fulbright Scholar to Italy (University of Bari, 2020 and 2025), president of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion (2020), and editor-in-chief of the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion. A native of Racine, Wisconsin, she earned a B.A. in political science from Northwestern University in 1990, as well as an M.A. (1991) and Ph.D. (1996) from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research focuses on contemporary religion and politics with emphases on public opinion and civic engagement. Her work has appeared in leading scholarly journals including Political Research Quarterly, Social Science Quarterly, and the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion. She is the author, coauthor, or coeditor of nine books, most recently Religion and Politics in America: Faith, Culture, and Strategic Choices (Routledge, 2018), Beyond Red State, Blue State: Electoral Gaps in the Twenty-First Century American Electorate (Prentice Hall, 2008), and Religious Interests in Community Conflict: Beyond the Culture Wars (Baylor University Press, 2007). She has received support for her research from the Louisville Institute, the Global Religion Research Initiative at the University of Notre Dame, and the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion. She spent an academic year as a visiting research fellow at the Center for the Study of Religion at Princeton University and has served on the executive boards of the Southern Political Science Association, the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion, the Public Religion Research Institute, the Religious Research Association, the Women’s Caucus for Political Science-South, and the American Academy of Religion’s Committee for the Public Understanding of Religion. A frequent source for various media outlets, she has been interviewed on CNN, National Public Radio, and BBC Radio and quoted in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, and USA Today. She also won Clemson University’s campus-wide Fluor Daniel Student Government Excellence in Teaching Award in 2003.

Research Interests

My research focuses on contemporary religion, civic engagement, and politics in the United States and Europe. Among other projects, I have done work on the progressive community-organizing work of urban clergy and congregations, the public role of mainline Protestantism, and other progressive manifestations of the relationship between religion and politics. Many of my publications make connections across disciplinary boundaries, whether through co-authorship or intended audience.

Research Publications

Peer-Reviewed Publications
• Arandjelovic, Dunja, and Laura R. Olson. Forthcoming. “Awareness of and Support for the Religious Left in the United States: Another Reflection of Political Polarization?” In The Routledge Handbook of Politics and Religion in Contemporary America, ed. Jeffrey Haynes. New York: Routledge.
• Olson, Laura R., Ben Gaskins, and Kevin R. den Dulk. Forthcoming. Religion and Politics in America: Faith, Culture, and Strategic Choices, 7th ed. New York: Routledge.
• Curtis, K. Amber, and Laura R. Olson. 2024. “Religious Identification in a Changing Turkey.” Journal of Contemporary Religion 39(1): 21-47.
• Pury, Cynthia L. S., Charles R. Starkey, and Laura R. Olson. 2024. “Value of Goal Predicts Accolade Courage: More Evidence that Courage is a Taking a Worthwhile Risk.” Journal of Positive Psychology 19(2): 236-242.
• Olson, Laura R. 2023. “The Coronavirus Pandemic and Political Polarization in the United States.” In L’Unione Europea tra Pandemia, Crisi e Prospettive Future [The European Union amid Pandemic, Crisis, and Future Prospects], ed. Denise Milizia and Alida Silletti. Milan, Italy: Edizione Universitarie di Lettere Economia Diritto.
• Olson, Laura R. 2023. “Internet Usage, YouTube, and Conspiracy-Mindedness in the United States.” Lingue, Culture, Mediazioni [Languages, Cultures, Mediation] 10(2): 175-199.
• Taydas, Zeynep, and Laura R. Olson. 2022. “Divine Influence: Religious Foundations of American Foreign Policy Attitudes.” Social Science Quarterly 103(4): 907-925.
• Olson, Laura R. 2020. “‘One Good Schoolmaster?’ What U.S. Teachers Think about Restrictions on Their Religious Expression in the Classroom.” Studi di Sociologia 58(4): 413-428.
• Olson, Laura R. 2020. “‘With Friends like That’: Understanding Euroscepticism among U.S. Citizens.” In The New European Union: Different Perspectives from Different Member States, ed. Denise Milizia. Bari, Italy: Cacucci Editore.
• Olson, Laura R., Benjamin J. Bindewald, William D. McCorkle, and Suzanne N. Rosenblith. 2020. “Public Schoolteachers’ Attitudes about Religious Liberty in the Classroom.” Religion and Education 47(1): 19-54.
• Cadge, Wendy, Laura R. Olson, and Margaret A. Clendenen. 2019. “Idiosyncratic Prophets: Personal Style in the Prayers of Congressional Chaplains, 1990-2010.” Journal of Church and State 61(4): 680-701.
• Curtis, K. Amber, and Laura R. Olson. 2019. “Identification with Religion: Cross-National Evidence from a Social Psychological Perspective.” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 58(4): 790-812.
• Curtis, K. Amber, and Laura R. Olson. 2019. “The Impact and Conceptualization of Religious Identity across Disciplinary Perspectives.” In The Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics and Religion, ed. Paul A. Djupe. New York: Oxford University Press. DOI: 10.1093/acrefore/9780190228637.013.787.
• McCarthy, Angela Farizo, Laura R. Olson, and James C. Garand. 2019. “Religious Right, Religious Left, Both, or Neither? Understanding Religio-Political Identifications.” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 58(3): 547-569.
• Hertzke, Allen D., Laura R. Olson, Kevin R. den Dulk, and Robert Booth Fowler. 2018. Religion and Politics in America: Faith, Culture, and Strategic Choices, 6th ed. New York: Routledge. (Also coauthor of 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th ed.)
• Olson, Laura R. 2017. “Collective Identity and Movement Solidarity among Religious Left Activists.” In Religion and Progressive Activism: New Stories about Faith and Politics, ed. Ruth Braunstein, Todd Nicholas Fuist, and Rhys H. Williams. New York: New York University Press.
• Olson, Laura R. 2016. “Movement Commitment among Progressive and Conservative Religio-Political Activists in the United States.” Politics and Religion 9(2): 296-308.
• McCarthy, Angela Farizo, Nicholas T. Davis, James C. Garand, and Laura R. Olson. 2016. “Religion and Attitudes toward Redistributive Policies among Americans.” Political Research Quarterly 69(1): 121-133.
• Djupe, Paul A., Jacob R. Neiheisel, and Laura R. Olson. 2015. “Carriers of the Creed? The Effect of Urging Tolerance on Persuasion.” In Religion and Political Tolerance in America: Advances in the State of the Art, ed. Paul A. Djupe. Philadelphia: Temple University Press.
• Olson, Laura R. 2013. “Pluralism, Please: A Response.” Journal of the American Academy of Religion 81(4): 949-953.
• Smith, Lauren Edwards, and Laura R. Olson. 2013. “Attitudes about Socio-Moral Issues among Religious and Secular Youth.” The Politics and Religion Journal 7(2): 285-313.
• Djupe, Paul A., and Laura R. Olson. 2013. “Stained-Glass Politics and Descriptive Representation: Does Associational Leadership by Women Engender Political Engagement among Women?” Politics, Groups, and Identities 1(3): 329-348.
• Djupe, Paul A., and Laura R. Olson. 2013. “Public Deliberation about Gay Rights in Religious Contexts: Commitment to Deliberative Norms and Practice in ELCA Congregations.” Journal of Public Deliberation 9(1): Article 1. http://www.publicdeliberation.net/jpd/vol9/iss1/art1/.
• Cadge, Wendy, Jennifer Girouard, Laura R. Olson, and Madison Lyleroehr. 2012. “Uncertainty in Clergy’s Perspectives on Homosexuality: A Research Note.” Review of Religious Research 54(3): 371-387.
• Cadge, Wendy, Madison Lyleroehr, and Laura R. Olson. 2012. “Clergy and Controversial Family Issues: Divorce and Homosexuality as Case Studies.” International Journal of Sociology of the Family 38(1): 85-104.
• Olson, Laura R., Adam L. Warber, and Kevin R. den Dulk. 2012. “Mainline Protestants and the 2008 Election.” In Religion, Race, and Barack Obama’s New Democratic Pluralism, ed. Gastón Espinosa. New York: Routledge.
• Taydas, Zeynep, Cigdem Kentmen, and Laura R. Olson. 2012. “Faith Matters: Religious Affiliation and Public Opinion about Barack Obama’s Foreign Policy in the ‘Greater’ Middle East.” Social Science Quarterly 93(4): 1218-1242.
• Olson, Laura R. 2011. “The Essentiality of ‘Culture’ in the Study of Religion and Politics.” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 50(4): 639-653.
• Olson, Laura R. 2011. “The Religious Left in Contemporary American Politics.” Politics, Religion and Ideology 12(3): 271-294.
• Olson, Laura R., Paul A. Djupe, and Wendy Cadge. 2011. “American Mainline Protestantism and Deliberation about Homosexuality.” In Faith, Politics, and Sexual Diversity in Canada and the United States, ed. David Rayside and Clyde Wilcox. Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press.

Other Publications
• Olson, Laura R. Forthcoming. Review of Righting the American Dream: How the Media Mainstreamed Reagan’s Evangelical Vision, by Diane Winston. Congress and the Presidency.
• Olson, Laura R. Forthcoming. Review of A Democratic Approach to Religion News: Christianity and Islam in the British and Turkish Press, by Ahmed Topkev. Journal of Contemporary Religion.
• Hertzke, Allen D., Laura R. Olson, and Kevin R. den Dulk. 2024. “In Memoriam: Robert Booth Fowler.” Political Science Today 4(2): 16-17.
• Olson, Laura R., Stefania M. Maci, and Denise Milizia. 2023. “How Linguistic Analysis Helps Us Understand the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Lingue, Culture, Mediazioni [Languages, Cultures, Mediation] 10(2): 5-8.
• Olson, Laura R. 2020. “Joe Biden, Shepherd of Cultural Catholics?” Georgetown University Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs. October 22. https://berkleycenter.georgetown.edu/responses/joe-biden-shepherd-of-cultural-catholics.
• Olson, Laura R. 2020. Review of Moral Victories in the Battle for Congress: Cultural Conservatism and the House GOP, by Marty Cohen. Congress and the Presidency 47(3): 391-392.
• Olson, Laura R. 2020. “Trump’s Use of Religion Follows Playbook of Authoritarian-Leaning Leaders the World Over.” The Conversation. June 5. https://theconversation.com/trumps-use-of-religion-follows-playbook-of-authoritarian-leaning-leaders-the-world-over-140050.
• Cadge, Wendy, and Laura R. Olson. 2018. “How Does Congress Have Chaplains without Violating the Separation of Church and State?” Newsweek. May 2. http://www.newsweek.com/house-congress-chaplain-separation-church-and-state-violate-907662.
• Olson, Laura R. 2018. Review essay on Secular Faith, by Mark A. Smith, and In Rome We Trust: The Rise of Catholics in American Political Life, by Manlio Graziano. Perspectives on Politics 16(3): 851-853.
• Olson, Laura R. 2014. Review of The New Evangelicals: Expanding the Vision of the Common Good, by Marcia Pally. Journal of Church and State 56(3): 606-608.
• Olson, Laura R. 2013. Review of The Blackwell Companion to Religion in America, ed. by Philip Goff. Church History and Religious Culture 93(1): 154-156.
• Olson, Laura R. 2013. Review of Church, State, and the Crisis in American Secularism, by Bruce Ledewitz. Insight Turkey (Fall): 223-224.
• Olson, Laura R., and Melissa Deckman. 2013. “The Times, Are They A-Changin’?” Public Religion Research Institute. April 10. http://publicreligion.org/2013/04/the-times-are-they-a-changin/.
• Olson, Laura R. 2012. “After Sandy: Presidential Rhetoric and Visions of Solidarity.” The Immanent Frame. November 5. http://blogs.ssrc.org/tif/2012/11/05/after-sandy-presidential-rhetoric-and-visions-of-solidarity/.
• Olson, Laura R. 2012. “As Catholics Go, So Goes the Nation?” Public Religion Research Institute. August 14. http://publicreligion.org/2012/08/as-catholics-go-so-goes-the-nation/.
• Olson, Laura R. 2012. “Mitt Romney’s Complicated Courtship Dance(s).” Public Religion Research Institute. August 13. http://publicreligion.org/2012/08/mitt-romneys-complicated-courtship-dances/.
• Olson, Laura R. 2012. Review of American Grace: How Religion Divides Us and Unites Us, by Robert D. Putnam and David E. Campbell. Perspectives on Politics 10(1): 103-106.
• Olson, Laura R. 2012. Review of The Civic Life of American Religion, ed. by Paul Lichterman and C. Brady Potts. Journal for the American Academy of Religion 80(4): 1144-1147.
• Olson, Laura R. 2012. Review of Faith in Politics: Religion and Liberal Democracy, by Bryan T. McGraw. Perspectives on Politics 10(1): 162-163.
• Olson, Laura R. 2012. Review of Red State Religion: Faith and Politics in America’s Heartland, by Robert Wuthnow. Politics and Religion 5(2): 471-474.
• Olson, Laura R. 2012. Review of To Serve God and Mammon, 2nd ed., by Ted G. Jelen. Review of Religious Research 54(2): 255-257.
• Olson, Laura R. 2012. “Spirituality’s Family Tree.” The Immanent Frame. April 4. http://blogs.ssrc.org/tif/2012/04/04/spiritualitys-family-tree/. *Reposted under “Spirit” in “A Universe of Terms,” http://tif.ssrc.org/2012/04/04/spiritualitys-family-tree/.
• Olson, Laura R. 2011. “Christian Identity.” In The Encyclopedia of Global Religion, ed. Wade Clark Roof and Mark Juergensmeyer. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
• Olson, Laura R. 2011. Review of The Disappearing God Gap? Religion in the 2008 Presidential Election, by Corwin E. Smidt et al. Sociology of Religion 72(1): 116-118.
• Olson, Laura R. 2011. Review of From Disgust to Humanity: Sexual Orientation and Constitutional Law, by Martha C. Nussbaum. The Christian Century 128 (29 November): 41.
• Olson, Laura R. 2011. “Why the Ideal Endures.” Room for Debate: When Private Lives Become Public. New York Times. May 15. http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2011/05/15/when-political-campaigns-turn-private-lives-public/why-the-ideal-political-family-endures.

Honors and Awards

• Fulbright U.S. Scholar Grant-Italy, 2025
• Susanne Hoeber Rudolph Outstanding Scholar Award, American Political Science Association Religion & Politics Section, 2022
• Fulbright U.S. Scholar Grant-Italy, 2020
• Fulbright Inter-Country Travel Grant-Finland, 2020
• President, Society for the Scientific Study of Religion, 2020
• American Academy of Religion Collaborative International Research Grant. “Democracy from behind the Altar: Social and Political Values of Clergy in the Post-Conflict Balkans.” With Marko Vekovic and Sinisa Zrinscak, 2020.
• Global Religion Research Initiative International Collaboration Grant, through the University of Notre Dame. “The Political Significance of Religious Institutions and Values in the Post-Conflict Balkans.” With Marko Vekovic and Sinisa Zrinscak, 2020.
• Award of Excellence in Student Engagement, Clemson University College of Behavioral, Social, and Health Sciences, 2020
• Global Religion Research Seed Money Grant, through the University of Notre Dame. “Explaining Belonging: The Strength and Salience of Religious Identification in Turkey.” With K. Amber Curtis, 2017.
• American Institute for Foreign Study-Richmond University Rome Summer Faculty Fellowship, 2017
• Senior Scholar Award of Excellence in Research, Clemson University College of Behavioral, Social, and Health Sciences, 2017
• International Travel Grant, International Studies Association-Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales Joint International Conference, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2014.
• Centennial Professorship, Clemson University, 2013-2015
• Elected to Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society, Clemson University, 2013
• “Difference Maker” Award, Clemson University Housing and Residential Life, 2009-2014
• Jack Shand Research Grant, Society for the Scientific Study of Religion, “Prayers in the U.S. Senate: A Pilot Study,” 2012.