Blog November 23, 2020

The Benefits of Going to a Place “Where Everyone Knows Your Name”

Daniel A. Cox, Jacqueline Clemence

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, these community spaces look a little different right now. Coffee shops, restaurants, and parks have more importance than ever in connecting us to our community and to the world outside our homes. Continue Reading →

Survey report November 18, 2020

Hopes and Challenges For Community and Civic Life: Perspectives From the Nation and Indiana

Daniel A. Cox, Karlyn Bowman, Jacqueline Clemence

The coronavirus outbreak created tensions between urban Americans hit hard by the virus and small towns and rural communities. Despite these disparities, surveys find that, before COVID-19, Americans expressed many of the same ideas and priorities regarding their communities, revealing we may not be as divided as one might think. Continue Reading →

Survey Reports

Daniel A. Cox, Jae Grace, Avery Shields
April 27, 2026

Strangers Next Door: The Decline of Neighborhood Socializing and the Class Divide in Belonging

Acknowledgment The American Enterprise Institute’s Survey Center on American Life is grateful to the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation for its generous support of this research. As Americans spend more of their time online, the neighborhood—once a primary physical location for real-world socialization—is playing less of a central role than ever before. Since Continue Reading →

Daniel A. Cox, Kelsey Eyre Hammond
November 20, 2025

Individuality and Moral Behavior: A Generational Divide in Moral Judgments and Self-Expression

Younger and older Americans increasingly disagree on the morality of certain behaviors, reflecting deep shifts in views about individuality, self-expression, and the role of community and faith. Continue Reading →

Daniel A. Cox
July 2, 2025

America’s Cultural Crossroads: Enduring Discontent, Rising Disconnection, and an Uncertain Future

A new survey from the Survey Center on American Life shows Americans are changing course on major cultural issues—from immigration and gay rights to gender roles and public trust. Continue Reading →

Daniel A. Cox, Kelsey Eyre Hammond
January 29, 2025

Romantic Recession: How Politics, Pessimism, and Anxiety Shape American Courtship

A new report by the Survey Center on American life finds that safety concerns and declining trust are reshaping modern dating, leaving many singles feeling pessimistic about their prospects. Sharp gender divides in attitudes toward dating apps, trust, and relationships reveal how these challenges are redefining the search for connection. Continue Reading →