The Department of Sociology Presents: Dr. Chaeyoon Lim

On Friday, October 11, 2024, the Sociology Colloquium Series will feature Dr. Chaeyoon Lim. Dr. Chaeyoon Lim is a professor of Sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His research and teaching focus on civic engagement, religion, social capital, social movements, and public opinion. His work has been published in leading journals, including American Sociological Review, American Journal of Sociology, Social Forces, and Sociological Science. He received his Ph.D. in sociology from Harvard University.

Colloquia Title and Topic:

"Sundays Unbound: Blue Laws, Church Attendance, and Shifting Moral Attitudes in the U.S."

Religiosity in the United States has declined significantly over the past several decades. While this trend has been extensively documented and debated, its broader social and cultural consequences remain underexplored. In this study, we investigate how declining religiosity has influenced shifts in Americans' attitudes towards key moral issues, such as same-sex relationships, abortion, and gender norms. Using the repeal of blue laws as an instrumental variable, we identify the causal impact of reduced church attendance on public opinion. Our findings suggest that declining church attendance has contributed to a more liberal trajectory in American social attitudes, reshaping public perspectives on moral and cultural issues.