From Hyperpower to Declining Power
Since the Sept. 11 attacks, views about American power have changed, as economic issues have trumped security concerns. Today, many see the U.S. as a great power in decline.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Since the Sept. 11 attacks, views about American power have changed, as economic issues have trumped security concerns. Today, many see the U.S. as a great power in decline.
As the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks approaches, a comprehensive public opinion survey finds no indication of increased alienation or anger among Muslim Americans in response to concerns about home-grown Islamic terrorists, controversies about the building of mosques and other pressures that have been brought to bear on this high-profile minority group in recent years.
Many around the world believe the global balance of power is shifting. In 15 of 22 nations, majorities or pluralities say China either will replace or already has replaced the United States as the world’s leading superpower. This view is widespread in many nations where the U.S. is popular, as well as in nations where […]
Most Muslim Americans continue to reject violence and extremism. As in 2007, very few see suicide bombing and other forms of violence against civilians as ever justified in the defense of Islam, and al Qaeda is even less popular than it was then. At the same time, there is extensive concern among Muslim Americans about […]
Most Muslim Americans say religion is very important in their lives, two-thirds pray every day (including 48% who pray all five salah daily), and nearly half attend religious services at a mosque at least once a week. U.S. Muslims’ religious beliefs tend to be highly orthodox; for example, 92% believe in the Day of Judgment […]
Support for democracy is widespread in the predominantly Muslim countries surveyed. Majorities or pluralities in the seven nations say democracy is preferable to any other kind of government, and many increasingly believe that a democratic government, rather than a strong leader, can best solve national problems. When asked to choose between a good democracy and […]
The Social Hostilities Index (SHI) measures hostile acts by private individuals, organizations and social groups that restrict religious beliefs and practices. The 10-point index is based on 13 questions used by the Pew Forum to gauge the level of hostilities both between and within religious groups, including mob or sectarian violence, crimes motivated by religious […]
About the 2011 Pew Global Attitudes Survey Results for the survey are based on telephone and face-to-face interviews conducted under the direction of Princeton Survey Research Associates International. All surveys are based on national samples except in Pakistan where the samples were disproportionately urban. The descriptions below show the margin of sampling error based on […]