Why is the South so Conservative? A Marxian Analysis of Alienation, Religion, and Political Ideology Among Poor Southern White Voters

The purpose of this study is to use Marxist theory of alienation to explain voting patterns among impoverished Southerners. This research is important in explaining the relationship among alienation, religiosity, politics of opposition, and their impact on voting trends in the southern portion of the United States. I will construct a Marxian model based on the literature available and test it by using data in the General Social Survey of 1998. I will construct a concept of class based on the interaction of alienation and income. I will then test it by running multiple linear regressions to see if the hypothesized relationships of positive correlations exist among class and politics of opposition, apathy, and religion. I will also examine the relationship between religion and politics of opposition. And lastly I will see how all of these factors influence political ideology.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Sociology

Department dc:contributor.department

Sociology

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2005

Author dc:creator

• Miller, Bryan Lee

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Fuhrman, Ellsworth R.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Hawdon, James E.
• Wimberley, Dale W.

• South
• Political
• Religion
• Marxian
• Alienation
• Voting
• Poor

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

etd-05162005-084748

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/42674