%0 Journal Article %J Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion %D 2011 %T The Essentiality of “Culture” in the Study of Religion and Politics %A Laura R. Olson %K analysis %K culture %K Politics %K religion %K Research %K Sociology of religion %K study of religion %K theoretical approaches %X This article reviews various theoretical approaches political scientists employ in the analysis of religion and politics and posits culture as a conceptual bridge between competing approaches. After coming to the study of religion slowly in comparison with other social science disciplines, political science finally has a theoretically diverse and thriving religion and politics subfield. However, political scientists’ contributions to the social scientific study of religion are hampered by a lack of agreement about whether endogenous or exogenous theoretical approaches ought to dominate our scholarship. I assert that the concept of culture—and more specifically, subculture—might help create more connections across theoretical research traditions. I emphasize how the concept of religion-based subculture is inherent in psychological, social psychological, social movement, and contextual approaches to religion and politics scholarship, and I explore these theoretical connections using the example of religion-based “us versus them” discourses in contemporary American politics. %B Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion %V 50 %G eng %U http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1468-5906.2011.01608.x/abstract %N 4 %& 639