Nearly a quarter of countries used force to prevent religious gatherings during the pandemic; other government restrictions and social hostilities related to religion remained fairly stable.
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In 2014, the median level of religious hostilities in the Middle East and North Africa reached a level four times that of the global median.
Government restrictions on religion and social hostilities related to religion decreased somewhat between 2013 and 2014, the second consecutive year of such declines.
Israel has been a Jewish-majority country since its founding in 1948, and its treatment of religious and ethnic minorities – including some groups within the Jewish community – has persisted as a hotly debated topic throughout the nation’s history.
Of the 4,705 reported fire incidents at houses of worship between 1996 and 2015, 2,378, or 51%, have been ruled intentional.
It’s a fascinating time for conversations about faith in the United States, with Pope Francis set to visit, a presidential election on the horizon and major trends reshaping the country’s religious landscape.
There has been considerable debate over the country’s Muslims and the role of extremism, but no backlash against Muslims in French public opinion.
The U.S. ranks in the middle range of the nearly 200 countries we analyzed to assess restrictions on religion and social hostilities toward religious groups.
Levels of restrictions and hostilities vary tremendously by country, from some of the lowest in the world (South Africa) to among the very highest (Indonesia).
Harassment and attacks against religious minorities continue in many countries there, and hostilities against Jews in particular have been spreading.
There was an overall decline in social hostilities to religion in 2013, though harassment of Jews worldwide reached a high. These are five key takeaways from our religious restrictions report.
Copyright 2024 Pew Research Center
