farmers in the fields
Commentary

Boys Aren’t Growing More Conservative. They’re Just Not That Into Politics.

Daniel A. Cox August 17, 2023

In fact, many young people remain politically noncommittal as they figure out where they fit in. Continue Reading →

President John F. Kennedy delivers his famous “We Choose to Go to the Moon” speech at Rice University on September 12, 1962. (Source: NASA)
Commentary

American Politics Needs a New National Purpose

Daniel A. Cox April 11, 2023

The United States seems to have lost its way as a country. Americans have generally low regard for our political leaders, little faith in our institutions, and even less in each other. Our politics are defined by acrimony and division. We’ve witnessed a decades-long deterioration in civic life and social solidarity. The erosion of traditional Continue Reading →

Young women voting in a row in front of American flag
Newsletter

How Young Women Saved the Democratic Party in 2022

Daniel A. Cox November 17, 2022

Donald Trump and Dobbs are Defining the Politics of a New Generation of Women. 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 →

The outline of two human heads in an argument, constructed out of neon.
Blog

Polarization in American Family Life is Overblown

Samuel J. Abrams February 23, 2022

Throughout the 2020 election, stories of families and friendships ripped apart by political differences were featured regularly in the press. Many also argued that numerous Americans had become trapped in ideological echo chambers. These narratives all fed into the larger national polarization thesis which suggested Americans were deeply divided and ideologically sorted into narrow social Continue Reading →

Artists rendition of several families sitting at tables having family dinners.
Survey report

Emerging Trends and Enduring Patterns in American Family Life

Daniel A. Cox February 9, 2022

Family dynamics are always evolving, but the emergence of new technologies, shifting economic realities, new cultural sensibilities, and social arrangements have reshaped family life dramatically. But there are enduring patterns in American family life as well. Women still do far more of the household chores, including cooking, cleaning, and laundry. Formative experiences, such as divorce, parental favoritism, and relationships have far-reaching influence. Continue Reading →

The upper torso of a white woman with her hand crossed over her heart. She is wearing a black jacket and red collared shirt. Around her neck is a large gold necklace of the Republican Party elephant.
Commentary

Why The Republican Party Isn’t Concerned With Popularity

Daniel A. Cox January 4, 2022

Despite the fact that the GOP is quite unpopular and that much of its current agenda, the party is in an enviable position heading into the 2022 midterm elections and beyond. Why? Continue Reading →

A close up of a blinking lit red emergency vehicle light on top of a police car.
Commentary

Why Crime Likely Won’t Be An Issue In The 2022 Midterms

Daniel A. Cox November 29, 2021

Violent crime is up. Data from the FBI found that the murder rate increased nearly 30 percent in 2020. And homicides continue to rise in 2021 as well, if not by quite as much. Americans have noticed. A Gallup poll released in November 2020 found that 78 percent of Americans thought that the national crime rate was higher than the year Continue Reading →

Photo of book Secular Surge by David E. Campbell, Geoffrey C. Layman, and John C. Green
Event

Is America entering a new secular age?

scalstage May 19, 2021

Rapid growth of secular identities and beliefs in America is transforming the religious and political landscape. Join us to explore what this means for the future of American religion and politics. Continue Reading →

Photo of older women participating in a climate change protest
Blog

If You Have a Lot of Friends, You’re Probably More Active in Politics

Daniel A. Cox, Jacqueline Clemence February 8, 2021

Having a robust network of friends and family may encourage us to become more active in civic and political life. Continue Reading →

Survey Reports

Generation Z and the Transformation of American Adolescence Cover Image

Daniel A. Cox, Kelsey Eyre Hammond, Kyle Gray
November 9, 2023

Generation Z and the Transformation of American Adolescence: How Gen Z’s Formative Experiences Shape Its Politics, Priorities, and Future

This report explores the foundational differences between American generations through their formative adolescent experiences. Continue Reading →

Young man sitting in a dark room before a wall featuring various conspiracy theory-related items illuminated by a computer screen

Daniel A. Cox, M. Anthony Mills, Ian R. Banks, Kelsey Eyre Hammond, Kyle Gray
September 28, 2023

America’s Crisis of Confidence: Rising Mistrust, Conspiracies, and Vaccine Hesitancy After COVID-19

America is experiencing a crosscutting crisis of expertise and scientific distrust accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic that poses significant challenges to democratic debate and public decision-making Continue Reading →

A cartoon showing a vibrant office from the ceiling view.

Daniel A. Cox, Brent Orrell, Kyle Gray, Jessie Wall
September 14, 2023

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

The Social Workplace, Volume II examines Americans’ expectations and experiences surrounding work, the workplace, and key job-related priorities such as pay and interpersonal connections. Continue Reading →

An empty debate stage featuring red and blue podiums below a stage light face an audience of nearly-empty seats.

Daniel A. Cox, Ruy Teixeira
June 29, 2023

The 2024 Presidential Election: Evolving Political Coalitions and Familiar Partisan Divisions

Ahead of the 2024 presidential election, the AEI Survey Center on American Life conducted a national survey of Americans that explored a wide range of political attitudes, current voting preferences, and perceptions of the political parties. Continue Reading →