Artist rendition of numerous persons standing in the shape of the United States with a rift through the center just west of where the Mississippi River would lie.
Newsletter

America’s Coming Religious Divide

Daniel A. Cox January 12, 2023

The US is Rapidly Becoming a Country of Very Religious and Very Secular People, how has this happened? Continue Reading →

A series of colorful artistic renderings of charts and graphs laid out in a grid pattern on a white backdrop with the words "Top Findings 2022" superimposed on a grey text box.
Newsletter

My Favorite Findings From 2022

Daniel A. Cox December 29, 2022

A look back at the top charts, figures, and findings of 2022 and what they say about the country’s future. Continue Reading →

Black and white image of well dressed white married couple with young boy and girl exit church in 1950s.
Newsletter

There’s a Growing Class Divide in Church Attendance

Daniel A. Cox December 15, 2022

There are few institutions better positioned to transform individual lives and reshape communities than America’s churches and places of worship. Yet increasingly, these benefits are not spread evenly across American society. As religious participation in the US continues to fall, some Americans are much more affected by its absence. Continue Reading →

Grey haired woman singling hymn in pew sitting down in front of wood paneled wall and other congregants.
Newsletter

Aging Churches and the Enduring Opposition to Same-Sex Marriage

Daniel A. Cox December 1, 2022

As religious congregations age, are they being left behind? Continue Reading →

An image of a woman standing over a table to register people to vote.
Newsletter

Will a Gen Z Wave Transform the 2022 Midterms?

Daniel A. Cox November 3, 2022

Youth political engagement is hard to predict. Continue Reading →

A rendition of the side profiles of two faces opposite each other, one is red and one is blue
Newsletter

The Politics of Happiness

Daniel A. Cox October 20, 2022

Conservatives are more satisfied than liberals when it comes to their personal lives, employment situations, the number of friends they have, and their spousal relationships. But is this trend accurate? Are liberals really less happy? Continue Reading →

Newsletter

A Generation-Defining Moment for Young Women

Daniel A. Cox October 6, 2022

For Young Women Abortion has become an Overriding Concern The Dobbs decision that overturned Roe vs. Wade’s 50-year precedent legalizing abortion in the US was a seismic event. But as polls started trickling out this summer, abortion ranked relatively low among the public’s concerns. Even as it became increasingly important for Democrats, abortion did not Continue Reading →

Artist rendition of protestors holding signs
Newsletter

No, Politics isn’t Replacing Religion

Daniel A. Cox September 22, 2022

According to Pew, America’s religious future does not include many fewer Christians. They project the number of Christians living in the US to drop to about half the total population or plummet to one-third over the next five decades. Continue Reading →

Photograph of people holding hands in prayer and worship
Newsletter

The Coming Evangelical Christian Decline

Daniel A. Cox September 8, 2022

Evangelical decline has increased in recent decades. This decline is tied to demographic changes and carries political meaning. Continue Reading →

Artists rendition of two people meeting in the middle of a bridge held up by a stone elephant and stone donkey. There is an American flag in the background.
Newsletter

Are Americans Hopelessly Divided Over Politics?

Daniel A. Cox August 18, 2022

Many believe America is more polarized than it actually is. What does the data show and how can we avoid this? Continue Reading →

Survey Reports

Cartoon rendering of a series of different online dating app prospects, on phone screens

Daniel A. Cox
February 9, 2023

From Swiping to Sexting: The Enduring Gender Divide in American Dating and Relationships

The January 2023 American Perspectives Survey sheds some light on dating preferences, experiences, and perspectives. The national survey of more than 5,000 adults age 18 and older, including nearly 800 single adults, finds that Americans have strong dating preferences when it comes to living at home, being unemployed, and smoking.

Red leather-bound Qur'an on a wooden table with prayer beads and a light blue surgical mask draped over top.

Lindsey Witt-Swanson, Jennifer Benz, Daniel A. Cox
January 5, 2023

Faith After the Pandemic: How COVID-19 Changed American Religion

The Survey Center on American Life at AEI teamed up with researchers at NORC at the University of Chicago to measure religious affiliation and attendance both before the pandemic (2018 to March 2020) and again in spring 2022, revealing who remained at the pews, who returned to the pews, and who left.

A cartoon showing a vibrant office from the ceiling view.

Brent Orrell, Daniel A. Cox, Jessie Wall
October 25, 2022

The Social Workplace: Social Capital, Human Dignity, and Work in America

Over the past two decades, American social and civic life has been on an undeniable downward trajectory. New research finds that the workplace remains an increasingly important generator of social capital in the wake of this civic contraction.

Photograph of pro-choice protestors holding signs

Karlyn Bowman, Daniel A. Cox
October 4, 2022

Gender, Generation and Abortion: Shifting Politics and Perspectives After Roe

In the wake of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, the issue of abortion continues to garner widespread public attention. Young women are following the debate over abortion rights closely and more intensely than other Americans. How will it affect their vote in the upcoming election and their approach to politics?