Eric McDaniel

Eric McDaniel is a Professor in the Department of Government at the University of Texas at Austin, where he co-directs the Politics of Race and Ethnicity (PRE) Lab. His research focuses on the intersection of race and religion in shaping American political dynamics, including Christian nationalism, Black church mobilization, and the influence of faith on policy attitudes.

His scholarly work spans publications in academic journals and two major books: Politics in the Pews: The Political Mobilization of Black Churches (2009) and The Everyday Crusade: Christian Nationalism in American Politics (2022, co-authored). Current projects examine beliefs about religion’s societal role, health policy intersections with faith, and religious freedom debates.

His teaching includes courses on comparative racial/ethnic politics, Black church politics, and American government, delivered both in-person and online since 2021. Research trends from his 15 most recent publications highlight analyses of Christian nationalism, racialized religious identities, and policy attitudes shaped by theological perspectives.