After a strong rebound during President Joe Biden’s first six months in office, approval ratings of U.S. leadership around the world slipped in the second half of the year, coinciding with the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. … Biden ended his first year in office with a 45% median approval rating […] Read more »
Why Do So Many Russians Say They Support the War in Ukraine?
In the month since Russia invaded Ukraine, public-opinion polls have shown a range of support among Russians for what Vladimir Putin and the country’s state media call a special military operation. … But what does public support mean in a society with no functioning political opposition, a decimated free press, […] Read more »
U.S. Image Improves Across Most of NATO
… Gallup surveys conducted before Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 showed the image of U.S. leadership was stronger across much of NATO than it had been in years, after languishing at low levels during the Trump administration. Between 2020 and 2021, U.S. leadership saw double-digit gains in 20 of […] Read more »
Amid War and Disease, World Happiness Report Shows Bright Spot
In this troubled time of war and pandemic, the World Happiness Report 2022 reports a bright light in dark times. The pandemic brought not only pain and suffering but also an increase in social support and benevolence. As we battle the ills of disease and war, it is especially important […] Read more »
Putin’s public approval is soaring during the Russia-Ukraine crisis, but it’s unlikely to last
Arik Burakovsky, Tufts University Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered troops into eastern Ukraine on Feb. 21, 2022. The invasion could lead to the biggest armed conflict in Europe since World War II, Western leaders warn. But amid the mounting tensions, public opinion polls in Russia show that support for Putin […] Read more »
Canadian trucker protests show how the loudest voices in the room distort democracy
What happens when the voices of a few drown out the views of the many? Ed Jones/AFP via Getty Images Matthew Jordan, Penn State and Sydney Forde, Penn State After Canadian truckers upset with vaccination mandates made their way to Ottawa, they parked their vehicles near Parliament and started making […] Read more »