Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
More than a year after the first stirrings of the Arab Spring, there continues to be a strong desire for democracy in Arab and other predominantly Muslim nations. A substantial number in key Muslim countries also want a large role for Islam in political life. Meanwhile, few think the U.S. favors democracy in the Middle East.
In the largely Muslim nations polled, there is broad support for gender equality in principle, but attitudes on women’s role in the economy, politics, and their private lives suggests significant ambivalence about equality between men and women. For instance, while solid majorities support the idea of women’s employment, majorities also believe that men have more […]
Tunisians are generally divided on their views of the United States. Overall, they are split evenly between those with a favorable view of the U.S. (45%) and those with an unfavorable view (45%). About as many say that the U.S. response to the political situation in Tunisia had a positive impact as say it was […]
The vast majority of Muslims surveyed subscribe to the basic tenets of Islam – that there is only one God and that Muhammad is His Prophet. Acceptance of these central articles of the Islamic faith forms the foundation of a global ummah, or community of believers. But it does not necessarily follow that religion plays […]
Few Satisfied With Nation’s Direction In the wake of four years of economic turmoil around the world and political upheaval in a number of nations, very few people are satisfied with the way things are going in their country. In the 21 countries surveyed, only in China (82%), Germany (53%) and Egypt (53%) do more […]
Who counts as a Muslim, and who does not? Which beliefs and practices are Islamic, and which are not? Many Muslims across the globe hold firm views on such questions. Asked, for example, whether there is only one true way to interpret Islam’s teachings or whether multiple interpretations are possible, half or more of the […]
The declaration of Mohamed Morsi as Egypt’s first freely elected president marks a major milestone for a country that until February 2011 had spent nearly three decades under the authoritarian rule of Hosni Mubarak. At the same time, for significant numbers of Egyptians, Morsi’s relatively narrow victory over former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq has the potential to raise questions about Islam’s role in society.
Following a politically turbulent year in much of the Arab world, democracy continues to be the preferred form of government in the four Arab nations surveyed, as well as in Turkey and Pakistan. Moreover, there is widespread support for specific democratic rights and institutions, such as multiparty elections and freedom of expression. Still, significant minorities […]
More than a year after the 2011 uprisings, Arab publics are concerned about the economy, but hopeful about democracy.