Laura Silver

Senior Researcher

Laura Silver is a senior researcher at Pew Research Center. She is an expert in international survey research and writes about international public opinion on a variety of topics, including media usage and partisanship in Europe, Chinese public opinion, and global attitudes toward China. She is involved in all aspects of the research process, including designing survey questionnaires and sample designs, managing fieldwork, processing and analyzing data, and writing reports. Prior to joining Pew Research Center, she was a foreign affairs research analyst at the U.S. Department of State in the Office of Opinion Research where she designed and implemented surveys in multiple countries in East Asia. She received a dual Ph.D. from the Annenberg School for Communication and the political science department at the University of Pennsylvania where her work focused on American public opinion of China, particularly in the context of presidential elections. Her work has been published in journals such as the International Journal of Public Opinion Research and International Studies Quarterly.

Publications

In Vietnam, about half of adults say social media are at least somewhat important for keeping up with political news and other developments. Above, Vietnamese activist La Viet Dung has alleged Facebook may be helping to suppress online dissent. (AFP/Getty Images)

Pew Research CenterMay 13, 2019

Many who use social media say they regularly see false or misleading content, but also view these platforms as offering new avenues for political engagement.

Pew Research CenterMay 2, 2019

What is the internet? Who is an internet user? Research suggests that some people who use the internet may not be aware that they’re doing so.

Less dissatisfaction with democracy in countries where people believe the government protects freedom of speech

Pew Research CenterApril 29, 2019

Dissatisfaction with democracy is correlated with views on economic conditions, whether key democratic norms are being respected and other issues.

A woman shows her inked finger after voting in a village near Srinagar, India. (Saqib Majeed/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Pew Research CenterApril 29, 2019

Across 27 countries, more people are unhappy with the state of democracy in their countries than satisfied. Discontent with democracy is tied to concerns about the economy, individual rights and out-of-touch elites.

Pew Research CenterMarch 15, 2019

With global survey research, it's important to understand what people are thinking about the subject we're studying. Focus groups help address this.

Pew Research CenterMarch 7, 2019

Access to mobile phones and social media is common across emerging economies. People around the world see certain benefits from these technologies, yet there are also concerns about their impact on children.

GlobalFebruary 5, 2019

Whether in advanced or emerging economies, younger people, those with higher levels of education and those with higher incomes are more likely to be digitally connected.

GlobalJanuary 25, 2019

Only a third of Venezuelans trust their national government. Venezuelans’ evaluations of their national economy have worsened since 2013.

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Laura Silver

Research Areas

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