Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
A new poll by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life finds that while most Catholics who have heard about the issue support President Barack Obama’s visit to Notre Dame, deep divisions exist between the most-observant Catholics and those who are less observant. These two groups also are divided over their assessment […]
Americans believe overwhelmingly that science has benefited society and has helped make life easier for most people. More than eight-in-ten (84%) say that science’s impact on society has been mostly positive, with relatively small variations across most segments of the public. And when those who say science has a positive impact are asked to expand […]
Views of Religious Similarities and Differences Washington, D.C.—Eight years after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, Americans see Muslims as facing more discrimination inside the U.S. than other major religious groups. Nearly six-in-ten adults say that Muslims are subject to a lot of discrimination, far more than say the same about Jews, evangelical Christians, atheists or […]
After the Everson ruling, the Supreme Court did not hear a single case involving public funding of religion for more than 20 years. Beginning in 1968 and over the next 10 years, however, the high court heard a rapid succession of funding cases, a dozen in all. The increase in funding cases was tied to […]
Overview Americans are extremely displeased with Congress, and there are already some signs that this could take a toll on the Democrats in the 2010 midterm elections. Currently, 37% express a favorable opinion of Congress, while 52% hold an unfavorable view. Positive opinions of Congress have declined by 13 points since April and are now […]
Diverse Reasons, but Distinct Patterns Emerge A new survey by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life finds that Americans change their religious affiliation early and often, and the reasons they give for changing—or leaving religion altogether—differ widely depending on the origin and destination of the convert. CONTACT Mary SchultzCommunications Manager202.419.4556mschultz@pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/religion “Faith […]
Americans have used multiple sources to try to make sense of what is happening in the general economy. Just as people have options in getting material that helps them cope with stressful circumstances, they also can consult a variety of sources as they try to understand what has happened to the economy and the policies […]
Overview Public attitudes on a pair of contentious national issues – gun control and abortion – have moved in a more conservative direction over the past year. In both cases, the changes have been driven in part by relatively large shifts among men, while opinions among women have not changed very much. For the first […]