Public opinion about homosexuality varies substantially around the world. While residents in some nations have embraced gay rights as human rights, people in many other countries find homosexuality unacceptable. What creates such big differences in attitudes? This book shows that cross-national differences in opinion can be explained by the strength of democratic institutions, the level of economic development, and the religious context of the places where people live. Amy Adamczyk uses survey data from almost ninety societies, case studies of various countries, content analysis of newspaper articles, and in-depth interviews to examine how demographic and individual characteristics influence acceptance of homosexuality.
List of Illustrations Introduction: Patterns across Nations, Mixed Methods, and the Selection of Countries PART ONE. PUBLIC OPINION ACROSS THE WORLD 1. The Importance of Religion, and the Role of Individual Differences 2. The Importance of Democracy and Economic Development PART TWO. COMPARATIVE CASE STUDIES FOR UNDERSTANDING ATTITUDES 3. Shaping Attitudes in Protestant Nations: A Comparison of the United States, Uganda, and South Africa 4. Understanding Views in Muslim Countries: An Analysis of Malaysia, Indonesia, and Turkey 5. The Relatively Liberal Views of People from Catholic- Majority Countries: An Examination of Spain, Italy, and Brazil PART THREE. VIEWS ON HOMOSEXUALITY IN EAST ASIA 6. Investigating Public Opinion in Confucian Nations: Buddhism and the Importance of Family Ties in East Asia 7. Shaping Attitudes in Taiwan: A Case Study (OK, but Not in My Family) Conclusion: Other Religions, Outliers, and the Future Appendix A. Countries Included in the WVS HLM Analysis, by Homosexuality Laws as of 2015 and the Nation's Dominant Religion Appendix B. WVS Data and Hierarchical Models Appendix C. Additional Macro-Level Indicators Appendix D. Details on the Content Analysis of Newspaper Articles Notes Bibliography Index
