While Most Americans Prefer Democracy, More Than One in Four Express Sympathy for Authoritarian Politics

Americans’ support for an authoritarian leader declined for the first time in two decades, according to a new report from the Democracy Fund Voter Study Group. “Follow the Leader: Exploring American Support for Democracy and Authoritarianism,” nevertheless finds worrying developments among the 29% of Americans who say that an authoritarian […] Read more »

More U.S. College Students Say Campus Climate Deters Speech

Sixty-one percent of U.S. college students agree that the climate on their campus prevents some people from expressing their views because others might find them offensive. In 2016, 54% of college students held this view. These results are based on a 2017 Gallup/Knight Foundation survey of 3,014 randomly sampled U.S. […] Read more »

8 ways college student views on free speech are evolving

As college campuses across the United States grapple with questions surrounding the power and limits of free expression, a new Gallup-Knight Foundation survey of U.S. college students provides a view into how attitudes about the First Amendment on college campuses are evolving and what that means for our democracy. The […] Read more »

Most teenagers and adults think arming teachers is dangerous, favor minimum age for buying assault rifles

In the wake of the mass shooting in Parkland, Fla., the activism of the students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and elsewhere has drawn national notice. Although federal action on gun control is uncertain, the Florida state legislature on Wednesday passed a bill to impose a three-day waiting period […] Read more »

A new poll shows how younger women could help drive a Democratic wave in 2018

Since the inauguration of Donald Trump, women’s political activism appears to be on the rise. The Women’s March and related protests were one example. Another is the record number of women running for political office. Organizations that have long sponsored candidate training for women report an explosion of interest. Now, […] Read more »