These days, it feels like any group of three or more Americans talking politics can’t make it past the first minute before the animosity and cynicism boils over and derails the conversation. Too many of us are too angry to listen, to learn or — God forbid — to work […] Read more »
Hidden Tribes: A Study of America’s Polarized Landscape
At the root of America’s polarization are divergent sets of values and worldviews, or “core beliefs.” These core beliefs shape the ways that individuals interpret the world around them at the most fundamental level. Our study shows how political opinions stem from these deeply held core beliefs. This study examines […] Read more »
Confidence in Pope Francis Down Sharply in U.S.
As allegations and investigations of sex abuse in the Catholic Church become more widespread, a new Pew Research Center survey finds that confidence in the way Pope Francis is handling the crisis has plummeted among U.S. Catholics. CONT. Pew Read more »
Discarding norms is not always bad. But how you do it matters.
… Norms do change, and often have changed, in American history. Partly that’s because norms, which are assumed and usually unwritten, can mean different things to different people. They are not formal rules, and they can apply both to individuals and to institutions. The Oxford English Dictionary calls them “a […] Read more »
Trump Has Met the Public’s Modest Expectations for His Presidency
Just prior to the 2016 election, the public had fairly low expectations for Donald Trump’s presidency. Majorities of Americans said that if Trump was elected, he would not be likely to improve the way government works, set a high moral standard for the presidency or achieve other goals. And for […] Read more »
Young women: What’s on their minds as midterm elections approach?
Women ages 18-35, place a high priority on a candidate who shares their culture and values; it’s more important to them than party labels. They cite health care as their top issue in the 2018 election, with more calling it very important, compared to other issues. Most say they see […] Read more »