{"podcast":{"title":"New Books in Sociology","slug":"new-books-in-sociology-671620","podcast_index_feed_id":671620,"rss_url":"https://feeds.megaphone.fm/LIT3382719913","website_url":"https://newbooksnetwork.com","image_url":"https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/f7161e82-f346-11e8-a8a3-a3d2f039e6d2/image/b6e67e348fe6c83f677a9dc9bd7ac1fe.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress","author":"New Books Network","episode_count":1000,"summary":"This podcast is a channel on the New Books Network. The New Books Network is an academic audio library dedicated to public education. In each episode you will hear scholars discuss their recently published research with another expert in their field. Discover our 150+ channels and browse our 28,000+ episodes on our website: ⁠newbooksnetwork.com⁠ Subscribe to our free weekly Substack newsletter to get informative, engaging content straight to your inbox: ⁠https://newbooksnetwork.substack.com/⁠ Follow us on Instagram and Bluesky to learn about more our latest interviews: @newbooksnetwork Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sociology","last_synced_at":null,"page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/new-books-in-sociology-671620"},"episode":{"title":"Amy D. McDowell, \"Whispers in the Pews: Evangelical Uniformity in a Divided America\" (NYU Press, 2026)","slug":"amy-d-mcdowell-whispers-in-the-pews-evangelical-uniformity-in-a-divided-america-nyu-press-2026","published_at":"2026-05-13T08:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/new-books-in-sociology-671620/amy-d-mcdowell-whispers-in-the-pews-evangelical-uniformity-in-a-divided-america-nyu-press-2026","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/new-books-in-sociology-671620","url":"https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NBNK1836265736.mp3?updated=1778568230","audio_url":"https://traffic.megaphone.fm/NBNK1836265736.mp3?updated=1778568230","summary":"Whispers in the Pews: Evangelical Uniformity in a Divided America (NYU Press, 2026) reveals how mundane social interactions in an evangelical church silence difference and reinforce right-wing conformity Small talk, whether enjoyed or despised, is often thought of as trivial and largely useless. In certain situations, however, it can be surprisingly powerful. Whispers in the Pews offers a bottom-up explanation of Christian nationalism, revealing how cultural homogeneity within evangelical church communities is upheld by an active, manufactured effort to dodge reflective engagement with topics that could stir up diverging points of view. Whispers in the Pews exposes how small talk is utilized to construct an appearance of social and political sameness in evangelical church communities. Based on an ethnography of a church that appeals to students, working class residents, and racial minorities alike in a politically divided Southern college town, McDowell showcases how churchgoers avoid consequential issues that could expose disagreements on border control, electoral politics, race and gender. By confining themselves to blander topics, the church, which prides itself on inclusivity, positions itself as welcoming to all. But by creating an environment in which certain topics are discouraged from discussion, a façade is developed in which everyone is assumed to believe the same things, and any sort of debate is silenced. Whispers in the Pews shows that the presumption that everyone is of the same mind makes it difficult for churchgoers to articulate or contemplate progressive views, and by extension, advances the idea that differences of opinion are un-Christian, and therefore un-American. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by b…","meta_description":"Whispers in the Pews: Evangelical Uniformity in a Divided America (NYU Press, 2026) reveals how mundane social interactions in an evangelical church silen…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":3327,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/new-books-in-sociology-671620/episodes/amy-d-mcdowell-whispers-in-the-pews-evangelical-uniformity-in-a-divided-america-nyu-press-2026/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/new-books-in-sociology-671620/amy-d-mcdowell-whispers-in-the-pews-evangelical-uniformity-in-a-divided-america-nyu-press-2026.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}