Dr Ben Clements

Associate Professor

• Office: Attenborough Tower 904
• Tel: +44 (0)116 252 2701
• Fax: +44 (0)116 252 5082
• Email: bc101@leicester.ac.uk

Personal details

• BSc, MA, PhD

I co-organised a UACES-funded workshop, entitled 'Sacred and Secular: Researching the Role of Religion in Contemporary Europe', held on 21 June 2013, at the University of Leicester.

I am one of the co-conveners of the Political Studies Association's specialist group on Politics and Religion.

I am a contributor to and a member of the project board for British Religion in Numbers.

My PhD thesis was awarded the ‘Arthur McDougall Fund Prize for best dissertation in elections, electoral systems, or representation’ by the United Kingdom Political Studies Association in April 2009.

In February 2008, I was given the ‘David Butler Prize’ for a paper presented at the EPOP Conference 2007.

Teaching

I am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

I teach on the following modules:

• PL2094 Political Analysis 1: Understanding Political Science Research
• PL3127 Political Participation in Britain
• PL3137 The Politics of Contemporary British Foreign Policy

Learn more and apply for research degrees in Politics and International Relations.

Publications

Books

• (2018), British Public Opinion on Foreign and Defence Policy: 1945-2017 (Routledge).
• (2016), Surveying Christian Beliefs and Religious Debates in Post-war Britain (Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan).
• (2015), Religion and Public Opinion in Britain: Continuity and Change (Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan).

Journal articles

• with C. P. Thomson (2021), 'The "ultimate insurance" or an "irrelevance" for national security needs? Partisanship, foreign policy attitudes and the gender gap in British public opinion towards nuclear weapons', European Journal of International Security, https://www.doi.org/10.1017/eis.2021.17.
• with S. Bullivant (2021), '"To Conscience first, and to the Pope (long) afterwards?" British Catholics and their attitudes towards morality and structural issues concerning the Catholic Church', Review of Religious Research, https://doi.org/10.1007/s13644-021-00452-3.
• (2021), 'British Public Opinion Towards the Vietnam War and UK-US Relations During the 1964-70 Labour Governments', International History Review, 43(4): 736-60.
• (2020), 'Salience, Valence, Positions and Voting: International Affairs and British Electoral Politics in the 1960s', International History Review, 42(5): 891-912.

• (2018), with C. D. Field, 'Abortion and public opinion in Britain: A fifty-year retrospective', Journal of Beliefs & Values.

• (2018), 'Attitudes towards faith-based schooling amongst Roman Catholics in Britain', British Journal of Religious Education, 40(1): 44-54.

• (2017), with K. Nanou and J. Real-Dato, 'Economic crisis and party responsiveness on the left-right dimension in the European Union', Party Politics, 24(1): 52-64.
• (2017), 'Religious change and secularisation in Scotland: An analysis of affiliation and attendance', Scottish Affairs, 26(2): 133-162.
• (2017) 'Examining non-religious groups in Britain: Theistic belief and social correlates', Journal of Contemporary Religion, 32(2): 315-324.
• (2017) 'Weekly churchgoing amongst Roman Catholics in Britain: Long-term trends and contemporary analysis', Journal of Beliefs & Values, 38(1): 32-34.

• (2017) with P. Gries, '"Religious Nones" in the UK: How Atheists and Agnostics Think about Religion and Politics', Politics & Religion, 10(1): 161-185.
• (2015), with N. Carter, 'From "Greenest government ever" to "get rid of all the green crap": David Cameron, the Conservatives and the Environment', British Politics, 10(2): 204-225.
• (2014), 'An assessment of long-term and contemporary attitudes towards "sanctity of life" issues amongst Roman Catholics in Britain', Journal of Religion in Europe, 7(3-4); 269-300.
• (2014), 'The correlates of traditional religious beliefs in Britain', Journal of Beliefs & Values, 35(3): 278-290.
• (2014), 'Assessing the determinants of the contemporary social attitudes of Roman Catholics in Britain: Abortion and homosexuality', Journal of Contemporary Religion, 29(3): 491-501.
• (2014), with K. Nanou and S. Verney, ‘“We no longer love you, but we don’t want to leave you”: The Eurozone crisis and popular Euroscepticism in Greece', Journal of European Integration, 36(3): 247-265
• (2014), with C. D. Field, ‘The Polls – Trends: Public opinion toward homosexuality and gay rights in Great Britain’, Public Opinion Quarterly, 78(2): 523-547.
• (2014), 'Political party supporters’ attitudes towards and involvement with green issues in Britain', Politics, 34(4): 362-377.
• (2014), with N. Spencer, 'Public opinion in Britain towards the disestablishment of the Church of England', Journal of Anglican Studies, 13(1): 30-49.
• (2014), 'What People Really Believe About Women Bishops', Modern Believing, 55(1), 15-26.
• (2014), 'Research note: Partisan attachments and attitudes towards same- sex marriage in Britain', Parliamentary Affairs, 67(1): 232-244.
• (2014), 'The religious sources of opposition to abortion in Britain: Assessing the role of "belonging", "behaving" and "believing"', Sociology, 48(2): 364-381.
• (2013), 'Public Opinion and Military Intervention: Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya', The Political Quarterly, 84(1): 119-131.
• (2013), 'Religion and ethnic minority attitudes in Britain towards the war in Afghanistan', Politics and Religion, 6(1): 25-49.
• (2013), 'Explaining public attitudes towards the integration of Muslims in British society: The ‘solidarity of the religious"?', Journal of Contemporary Religion, 28(1): 49-65.
• (2012), 'A micro-level analysis of support in Britain for the war in Afghanistan', British Journal of Politics and International Relations, 16(2): 230-250.
• (2012), 'The sociological and attitudinal bases of environmentally-related beliefs and behaviour in Britain', Environmental Politics, 21(6): 901-921.
• (2012), 'Research Note: Exploring public opinion on the issue of climate change in Britain', British Politics, 7(2): 183-202.
• (2012), 'Public opinion in Britain towards military action in Libya: A micro-level analysis', POLITICS, 32(2): 109-119.
• (2012), with G. Douglas, S. Pavey and C. Corcoran, 'Evaluating the use of the ICF as a framework for interviewing people with a visual impairment about their mobility and travel', British Journal of Visual Impairment, 30(1): 6-21.
• (2012), with K. Nanou, 'What underlies public attitudes towards the ‘constitutionalisation’ of the EU? Evidence from Britain', Journal of Contemporary European Research, 8(4): 428-450.
• (2012), 'Research Note: The sources of public feelings towards religious groups in Britain: The role of social factors, religious characteristics and political attitudes', Journal of Contemporary Religion, 27(3): 419-434.
• (2011), 'Examining public attitudes towards recent foreign policy issues: Britain’s involvement in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts', POLITICS, 31(2): 63-71.
• (2011),with G. Douglas and S. Pavey, 'Which factors affect the chances of paid employment for individuals with visual impairment in Britain?', WORK: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment and Rehabilitation, 39(1): 21-30.
• (2010), 'Understanding "utilitarian" support for European integration in Scotland and Wales: The role of economic interests, national identity and party support', Regional and Federal Studies, 20(4): 439–459.
• (2010), 'Exploring and explaining public attitudes towards the European integration process in Northern Ireland', Irish Political Studies, 25(3): 393-416.
• (2010), 'Understanding public attitudes in Britain towards faith schools', British Educational Research Journal, 36(6): 953-73.
• (2010), 'What contributes to change and stability in individual-level attitudes towards Britain’s membership of the EU? An analysis of the British Election Panel Studies', 1987-92 and 1992-97’, Journal of Contemporary European Research, 6(1): 43-68.
• (2009), ‘The sociological and psychological influences on public support for the European Union in Britain, 1983-2005’, British Politics, 3(1): 47-82.
• (2009), with J. Bartle, ‘The European issue and party choice at British general elections, 1974-2005’, Journal of Elections, Public Opinion and Parties, 19(4): 377-411.

Book chapters

Other

• With N. Spencer (2014), Values and Voting in the UK: Does religion count?London: Theos.

• 'Rising atheism in British society', Sociology Review, 26(4), 2016-17.

• 'The growth of religious "nones" in Britain', Sociology Review, 25(4), 2015/16.

• 'Exploring Christian beliefs and practices in Britain', Sociology Review, 25(1), 2015/16.
• '"Politics and religion don’t mix." Or do they?', Sociology Review, 24(1), 2014/15.

• 'What do you believe in? Changing religious beliefs in Britain', Sociology Review, 23(1), 2013/14
• 'Religion and public attitudes in Britain', Sociology Review, 22(2), 2012/13.

• ‘Religious affiliation and voting behaviour in Britain’, Sociology Review, 21(2), 2011/12.

• ‘“Hawks” and “Doves”. Public opinion in Britain towards military intervention’, Political Insight, 3, 2011.

• Clements, B. and G. Douglas (2009), Network 1000 Survey 1: Comparing the General and Registered Visually Impaired Populations. VICTAR, University of Birmingham, pp. 1-105.
• Douglas, G., S. Pavey, B. Clements and C. Corcoran (2009), Network 1000: Access to employment amongst visually impaired people. VICTAR, University of Birmingham, pp. 1-46.
• Douglas, G., J. Franks, A. Weston and B. Clements (2009), Braille in the 21st Century: opportunities, benefits, and challenges for adults with acquired sight loss. VICTAR, University of Birmingham, pp. 1-106.
• Pavey, S., A. Dodgson, G. Douglas and B. Clements (2009), Travel, Transport, and Mobility of people who are blind and partially sighted in the UK. VICTAR, University of Birmingham, pp.1-119.

Conferences and presentations

• 'To respond or not to respond? The economic crisis, public opinion and party positions on European integration', paper presented at the ECPR EU Standing Group Conference, June 2018, Paris.
• 'Conservative Party supporters' views on foreign policy: Then and now', paper presented at the annual PSA Conference, March 2018, Cardiff.
• Contributed to a panel on 'Permissiveness', What is Contemporary British History Now? Conference. September 2017, King's College, London.
• '“Charity begins at home?” A review of public opinion in Britain towards foreign aid spending', paper presented at the Contemporary UK Development Aid conference, July 2017, University of Leeds.
• 'Catholics in Britain: Social Attitudes and Party Support', paper presented at the annual PSA conference, April 2017, Glasgow.
• 'Surveying Non-Religion in Britain: Historical Trends and Contemporary Analysis', paper presented at the annual PSA conference, March 2016, Brighton.
• 'Surveying the religious behaviour, beliefs and social attitudes of Catholics in Britain', paper presented at the Rethinking Modern British Studies conference, University of Birmingham, July 2015.

• 'Religion and attitudes towards moral issues in Britain’, paper presented at Factoring In Faith: New Dilemmas in the Politics-Religion Relationship, A Centre for Religion and Public Life 'Religion and society @ Leeds' research day, University of Leeds, May 2015.
• 'Who are the "religious nones in Britain"? Social characteristics and political attitudes', paper presented at the annual PSA conference, March-April 2015, Sheffield.
• 'Secularisation as "declining religious authority"? Public opinion in Britain', paper presented at the annual PSA Conference, April 2014, University of Manchester.
• 'Secularisation as "declining religious authority"? Public opinion in Britain', paper presented at the "Religion, Democracy and Law" International Conference, January 2014, London Metropolitan University.
• With K. Nanou and S. Verney, ‘Soft Euroscepticism in the Spotlight: The Impact of the Economic Crisis in Greece’, paper presented at the ECPR General Conference, Bordeaux, September 2013.
• 'Public opposition to gay marriage in Britain: (How) Does religion influence opinion?', Sacred & Secular: Researching the Role of Religion in Contemporary Europe, UACES-funded workshop, 21 June 2013, University of Leicester.
• With K. Nanou and S. Verney, ‘The Eurozone crisis and public attitudes towards the European Union in Greece’, MZES Workshop, University of Mannheim, Germany, 3-4 June 2013.
• With K. Nanou and S. Verney, ‘The Eurozone crisis and public attitudes towards the European Union in Greece’, Political Studies Association Annual Conference, University of Cardiff, 27-29 March 2013.
• 'Examining the Impact of Religion on Political Participation in Britain', BSA Annual Conference 2012, University of Leeds, 11-13 April.

• ‘Religion and political participation in Britain’, Seminar in Religion and Politics, Department of Politics, History and International Relations, University of Loughborough, 7 April 2012.

• With K. Nanou, 'Economic crisis and public attitudes towards domestic and EU institutions in Greece, Portugal and Spain’, 6th ECPR General Conference 25-27 August 2011, Standing Group on Southern European Politics.
• With K. Nanou, ‘Support for Turkish Membership of the EU in the UK: Party positions and citizens’ attitudes’, Paper presented at ‘Turkey and the EU: Opportunities and Challenges in the Accession Process’. The University Association for Contemporary European Studies and Turkish University Association for European Studies, 16-18 June 2010, Yeditepe University, Istanbul.
• ‘“Little Englanders”? Profiling Conservative Party supporters' views on immigration and Europe’, ‘Cameron's Conservatives conference’ at The Centre for British Politics, Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Nottingham, December 2008.
• ‘The salience of the European issue and vote choice in Britain, 1983-2005’, EPOP 2007 Annual Conference, University of the West of England, September 2007.
• ‘The foundations of opinion stability on the EU: Evidence from the British Election Panel Studies, 1987-92 and 1992-97’, EPOP 2006 Annual Conference, University of Nottingham, September 2006.
• ‘The Current State of the Parties: Prospects for the next General Election’, Westminster Politics Short Course for A-Level Teachers, University of Westminster, June 2009.

Online dissemination

• 'The British Public and NATO: Still a Strong Alliance?', LSE British Politics & Policy, December 2019.
• 'British public opinion and UK-US relations: "We like you a lot but we don’t much like your president"', LSE British Politics & Policy, June 2019.
• 'A tale of two referendums, but similar Remainers: 1975 and 2016', Democratic Audit UK, September 2017.
• 'The referendums of 1975 and 2016 illustrate the continuity and change in British Euroscepticism', LSE Brexit Blog, July 2017.
• 'Catholic voters in Britain: What are their political preferences?', LSE British Politics and Policy, May 2017.
• 'Secularisation and religious decline in 21st-century Scotland', Edinburgh University Press Blog, April 2017.
• With P. Gries, 'Secularism and socio-political attitudes in the UK', Religion in Public, April 2017.
• 'Who are the "religious nones" in Britain? Atheists, agnostics or something else?', LSE Religion in the Public Sphere, July 2016.
• 'Britain and the bomb: Surveying party supporters' attitudes on the nuclear weapons debate', LSE British Politics and Policy, April 2015.

• With N. Carter, 'David Cameron, The Conservatives and the environment', PSA Political Insight Blog, April 2015.

• '"Greener than thou?" Party supporters and the environment in Britain', BritPolitics, February 2014.
• With R. Whitaker, 'Hard Evidence: will same-sex marriage drive voters to UKIP?', The Conversation, February 2014.
• 'Party supporters' attitudes in Britain towards green issues', YouGov/Cambridge Programme, September 2013.
• With R. Whitaker and P. Lynch, ‘UK membership of the EU: Party competition over a low salience issue’, LSE British Politics and Policy Blog, March 2013.
• 'Public attitudes on the gay marriage debate are divided along party lines', LSE British Politics and Policy Blog, December 2012.
• 'Men and Women’s Support For War: Accounting for the gender gap in public opinion’, E-INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, January 2012.
• ‘There is a gender gap in public opinion towards UK military intervention, with women less supportive of British action in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya’, LSE British Politics and Policy Blog, December 2011.

Contributions to British Religion in Numbers:

October 2017 - 'Religion and the British Social Attitudes 2016 Survey'.

August 2017 - 'Religious Affiliation and Party Choice at the 2017 General Election'.

May 2017 - 'How religious groups voted in the 2016 referendum on Britain's EU membership'.

January 2017 - 'Religion and the British Social Attitudes 2015 Survey'.

January 2017 - 'Attitudes towards Gay Rights'.

June 2016 - 'The European Social Survey 2014: Political Attitudes of Religious Groups in Britain'.

June 2016 - 'The European Social Survey: Religion in Britain'.

May 2016 - 'Re-examining religious and paranormal beliefs in mid-1970s Britain'.

April 2016 - 'Religion and party choice: Evidence from the BES 2015 face-to-face post-election survey'.

October 2015 - 'Exploring Religious Data in the British Social Attitudes 2014 Survey'.

July 2015 - 'Religion and party choice at the 2015 general election'.

June 2015 - 'Socio-Demographic Groups and Religious Affiliation in Britain'.

May 2015 - 'The 2015 General Election: Religious Affiliation and Party Vote Share Across Constituencies'.

May 2015 - 'Religion and Political Attitudes: The British Election Study 2015, Internet Panel – Wave 4'.

November 2014 - 'Public attitudes towards women bishops'.

October 2014 - 'The British Election Study 2015: Religious Affiliation'.

October 2014 - 'The British Election Study 2015: Religious affiliation and attitudes'.

October 2014 - 'Roman Catholics' attitudes towards homosexuality'.

September 2014 - 'Religion and attitudes towards faith schools'.

June 2014 - 'Changes in attendance at religious services in Britain'.

June 2014 - 'Religious attitudes towards gay rights in 2013'.

April 2014 - 'Religion and social-morality attitudes in 2012'.

April 2014 - 'Is being Christian important for being British?'.

April 2014 - 'Christian affiliation in Britain'.

January 2014 - 'Religion and attitudes towards euthanasia in Britain: Evidence from opinion polls and social surveys'.

October 2013 - 'What can social surveys tell us about church attendance amongst Catholics in Britain?'.

September 2012 - ‘Anglicans and Attitudes towards Gay Marriage’.

May 2012 - ‘Attitudes towards the Disestablishment of the Church of England’.

June 2011 - ‘Religious Affiliation and Attitudes towards Immigrants in Britain’.

May 2011 - ‘Attitudes towards Different Religious Groups in Britain: Survey Data Sources’.

March 2011 - ‘Attitudes towards Britain’s Involvement in the Afghanistan Conflict by Religious Affiliation’.

March 2011 - With Dr S. McAndrew, ‘Other – Write In’.

March 2011 - ‘The Ethnic Minority British Election Study (EMBES) – part II’.

March 2011 - 'The Ethnic Minority British Election Study (EMBES)’.

September 2010 - ‘Attitudes towards the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts: Data from the British Election Study’.

August 2010 - 'Religious Affiliation and Political Attitudes: Findings from the British Election Study 2009/10’.

Research

My research focus is primarily on British politics and religion, in particular, the impact of religion on socio-political attitudes in Britain, both in historical perspective and in contemporary society. Other areas of interest include public opinion towards the EU and foreign policy issues and public opinion on environmental issues.

Current research

I am currently working on an AHRC-funded project, which will undertake an in-depth, nationally-representative survey of Roman Catholics in Britain. The project website can be found here.

My most recent book, published by Routledge, was entitled British Public Opinion on Foreign and Defence Policy: 1945-2017.

I have also had two books published by Palgrave Macmillan.

The first, Religion and Public Opinion in Britain: Continuity and Change, looks at areas of continuity and change in religion and public opinion in Britain. The book examines public attitudes towards religious authority and then focuses on the socio-political attitudes of religious groups on different topics: party choice and voting, political ideology, social-morality issues and foreign policy.

The second, Surveying Christian Beliefs and Religious Debates in  Post-War Britain, focuses on Christian religious beliefs and attitudes on religious-secular debates (religion and science; religion and education - faith schools; church-state relations - disestablishment), and looks at how these beliefs and attitudes vary across groups in society.

Supervision

• Undergraduate dissertation supervision
• DL dissertation supervision
• PhD supervision