Date of Award

6-15-2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Organizational Unit

Joint Ph.D. Program in Study of Religion

First Advisor

Andrea Stanton

Second Advisor

Albert Hernandez

Third Advisor

Joshua Hanan

Keywords

Christianity, Family, Hart-Celler, Ideograph, Immigration, Rhetoric

Abstract

This dissertation investigates the interplay between U.S. norms for inclusion, the embedded role of religion within these norms, and how political rhetoric challenges or sustains them. Using a historical lens, I outline key moments in U.S. history, unravel central ideologies entrenched in U.S. narratives, and illuminate the ideographic function of the key concepts land, family, and work. These terms serve as conduits for conveying complex systems of meaning, which are entrenched in societal assumptions and concretized through political discourse and action.

These dynamics are demonstrated in a case study of the discourse surrounding the Hart-Celler Immigration Act of 1965, a landmark bill that claimed to end racial discrimination in immigration policy. Through an analysis of the deployment of the ideographs, I illustrate how ideologies that rank individuals based on perceived worthiness become institutionalized and resistant to change. Moreover, I illuminate the influence of quiet religion embedded in national narratives and political speech as a foundational authoritative source invoked in critical junctures to legitimize actions as morally sanctioned and aligned with divine or natural order. Even in times of significant social upheaval, such as the transformative1960s, overarching norms of inclusion and exclusion persistently evade thorough interrogation, underscoring their ingrained place within the fabric of U.S. society.

Copyright Date

6-2024

Copyright Statement / License for Reuse

All Rights Reserved
All Rights Reserved.

Publication Statement

Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.

Rights Holder

Amanda Rolston Henderson

Provenance

Received from ProQuest

File Format

application/pdf

Language

English (eng)

Extent

285 pgs

File Size

38.3 MB

Available for download on Thursday, July 30, 2026



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