Understanding Black Politics: Faith, Representation, and Black Political Voices

Understanding Black Politics: Faith, Representation, and Black Political Voices

Author: Matthew Croasmun, Ryan McAnnally-Linz, Drew Collins, Miroslav Volf, Evan Rosa, Macie Bridge October 24, 2020 Duration: 50:07

Political scientist Andra Gillespie (Emory University) discusses the significance of black politics in 2020, including the need to fix disproportional representation, ideological sorting in party politics, the experience and salience of racial identity as a grounding factor for black political engagement, pursuing justice through the political process, and bringing political science to bear on lives of faith. 

Show Notes

  • Disproportional representation of African-Americans in Congress
  • Ideological Sorting, Partisanship, and Race
  • “Welcome to America’s Freedom Church”: How Rev. Raphael Warnock, the pastor of MLK’s Ebenezer Baptist Church is leading the Georgia U.S. Senate race
  • Pursuing Justice in the Political Process: Voting Rights, Disenfranchisement, and Representation
  • Political rules and doing the right thing
  • Vocation and Christian public engagement
  • The role of faith in ideological sorting, and faith in black politics

Follow Andra Gillespie on Twitter

Learn more about the James Weldon Johnson Institute for the Study of Race and Difference


What does it mean to live well, not just for ourselves but for the world around us? For the Life of the World / Yale Center for Faith & Culture explores this profound question through conversations that blend deep theological insight with sharp cultural analysis. Hosted by scholars and thinkers like Matthew Croasmun, Ryan McAnnally-Linz, Drew Collins, Miroslav Volf, Evan Rosa, and Macie Bridge, each episode delves into the complexities of faith, philosophy, and everyday practice. You’ll hear discussions that move from abstract ideas to tangible guidance, examining how ancient wisdom intersects with modern challenges in society, education, and personal spirituality. This isn’t about easy answers, but about the harder, more rewarding work of discerning what constitutes a flourishing life-for individuals and communities alike. The podcast serves as an audio extension of the Yale Center for Faith & Culture’s mission, offering thoughtful content for anyone curious about how belief shapes and is shaped by culture. Tune in for a consistently engaging exploration of what it means to seek a life truly worthy of our shared humanity.
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