Photo of President Joseph R. Biden and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Survey report

The Democratic Party’s Transformation: More Diverse, Educated, and Liberal but Less Religious

Daniel A. Cox July 28, 2022

The Democratic Party has experienced seismic demographic changes over the past few decades; becoming less Christian, more liberal, more educated, and more racially and ethnically diverse. These changes profoundly impact the Democratic Party’s future political priorities and electoral fortunes. Continue Reading →

An illustration of the side profiles of four people. From left to right: a young white man with blond hair, an older Black woman with short, curly Black hair, a young woman with tan skin and black hair with a blue streak, an older man with darker tan skin with curly grey hair and a mustache.
Survey report

Politics, Sex, and Sexuality: The Growing Gender Divide in American Life

Daniel A. Cox, Beatrice Lee, Dana Popky April 27, 2022

The nature of gender differences is a source of enduring debate in American society. The divide between young men and women is growing larger over sex, sexuality, and politics. Men spend more time playing video games, watching pornography, and report a greater interest in politics, while women are more likely to pick up a book or meditate. Continue Reading →

A white man holds a sign reading "DEFUND THE POLICE" in red lettering at a protest.
Blog

Crime, Policing, and the Racial Divide on the Left

Daniel A. Cox February 22, 2022

In the wake of George Floyd’s death, “defund the police” became a rallying cry among many liberal activists. Even so, the movement never really caught on among the establishment wing of the Democratic party. Certainly, rising crime had something to do with this: The FBI found that the murder rate increased roughly 30 percent between Continue Reading →

Photo of four women sitting down in line to vote.
Blog

For Black Voters, Friends and Family May be a Critical Link to the Democratic Party

Daniel A. Cox April 2, 2021

With high turnout in the 2020 election, black voters appear poised to remain a critical constituency in the Democratic Party. But their strong support for Democratic candidates and continued political involvement is a function of their social circumstances. Continue Reading →

Photo of the dome of the capitol. Beside it, is the silhouette of a hiker.
Blog

Few Americans are Confident in American Democracy, But Younger Americans are Especially Skeptical

Daniel A. Cox, Samantha Goldstein March 8, 2021

If governments can effectively administer the COVID-19 vaccine and deliver economic support, it will go a long way in demonstrating that even if government is clunky and the results imperfect, the institutions of democratic governance can work. Continue Reading →

Blog

Don’t Believe the Trump Hype: Who is Actually Protesting in 2020

Samuel J. Abrams October 21, 2020

Even with COVID-19 dominating the news and people being asked to stay home and social distance, Americans are leaving their homes to protest the state of the nation ahead of the November Presidential election. Continue Reading →

Photo of a woman holding up a "Biden Harris" sign. There is a "Trump 2020" sign in the foreground.
Blog

Democrats and Republicans Believe Their Opponents’ Policies Threaten the National Interest

Daniel A. Cox September 30, 2020

Lost amid the rhetorical brinksmanship in the fight to replace Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who recently passed after battling pancreatic cancer, is the reason Republicans believe this particular fight is necessary and why Democrats are unlikely to take a measured response. Continue Reading →

Blog

Hating Donald Trump Won’t be Enough For Democrats to Win

Daniel A. Cox March 3, 2020

If Democrats plan to coast by on public antipathy alone, they could be in for a rude awakening. Continue Reading →

Blog

Dating Across the Aisle is Difficult in the Age of Trump

Daniel A. Cox February 10, 2020

It’s not surprising that Trump has intruded into our dating lives. Through social media, news coverage, and a barrage of controversial comments, Trump is a feature of American public life. Continue Reading →

Cartoon of a Republican elephant and a Democrat donkey, multiple elephants in showing affection to one another and multiple donkeys showing affection to one another
Survey report

Partisan Attachment: How Politics is Changing Dating and Relationships in the Trump Era

Daniel A. Cox, Jacqueline Clemence, Eleanor O'Neil February 6, 2020

The January 2020 American Perspectives Survey explores dating and relationships. Abortion and Donald Trump are key dating dealbreakers for many Americans. 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. Continue Reading →

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. Continue Reading →

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. Continue Reading →

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? Continue Reading →