Then and Now: Relations with Cuba
The prospect of the U.S. normalizing relations with Cuba is the latest twist in the long story of the two nations' interactions since Teddy Roosevelt led…
Shootings, Guns and Public Opinion blog
Last week the country was shocked by the on-air shooting of a reporter and cameraman - shocked, but perhaps not surprised. Gun violence has become an all-…
A Public Divided: Americans' Attitudes about Torture blog
The release of the Senate Intelligence Committee report on the CIA use of torture in interrogations of suspected terrorists has renewed the debate over…
The Public, Race, and a Jury of Your Peers blog
Last year’s jury decisions in racially-charged investigations were only the most recent to reveal the schism in the country’s perceptions of how race…
Then and Now: Terrorism Fears blog
Terrorism in the modern sense first began to enter the American consciousness with the rise of bombings and hijackings in Europe and the Mideast in the…
Public Opinion about Using Nuclear Weapons
As the only nation ever to use nuclear weapons, America holds a unique position in debate over the use of nuclear arms. In August 1945 the U.S.…
Happy Birthday, Tea Party: The Public's Views on Contemporary Social Movements
"February 27, 2015 marks the 6th anniversary of the first nationally organized Tea Party protests. That first day of protests, sparked by Rick Santelli's…
If I Were a Rich Man: Public Attitudes About Wealth and Taxes blog
In his State of the Union address President Obama called for tax increases for the wealthiest Americans. Does the public support such a tax increase, and…
In the Balance: The Public, the Budget and the Deficit blog
Recent news on the federal budget deficit has been unusually positive: the deficit is shrinking. Some economists on the left argue that the deficit was…
Public Understanding of the Holocaust, From WWII to Today blog
Seventy-two years ago this week, the Soviet army liberated prisoners at the Auschwitz concentration camp. How much did Americans at the time understand…
UBS Index of Investor Optimism, 1996-2007 blog
The Roper Center archives the entire collection of the UBS Index of Investor Optimism studies. A joint effort of UBS and the Gallup Organization,…
Ambivalent Attitudes: The Public and Opinion Polls
Pundits have few kind words for politicians who consult public opinion polls when formulating policy. On the other hand, pollsters themselves consider…
2013 Pew Research Center's Martin Luther King Jr. Race Survey blog
Discover America's opinions on the progress of racial equality in the Pew Research Center's Martin Luther King Jr. Race Survey dataset. Conducted by the…
Pay It Back: The Public and the Student Loan System blog
Among the Americans struggling most in the current economy are recent college grads carrying significant educational debt. As millennials navigate lowered…
A Hero's Welcome: The American Public and Attitudes Toward Veterans blog
Americans have long been united in the belief that former soldiers deserve respect and honor. But the question of what exactly the government owes its…
When the Wall Came Tumbling Down: The American Public and Berlin blog
When the Berlin Wall fell twenty-five years ago this week, America rejoiced in what was widely seen as a new opportunity for peace in the world. But in…
Going Too Far: The American Public's Attitudes toward Protest Movements blog
The photographs out of Ferguson are new, but the scene is all too familiar: signs, bullhorns, protesters, police. The ongoing demonstrations in Missouri…
Money, Politics and the American Public
“Politics has got so expensive that it takes lots of money to even get beat with nowadays.” — Will Rogers, Daily Telegram, 1931 Observers of the…
The Public and Ebola: What the Polls Say blog
The news stories now follow a familiar pattern: an outbreak of a new and frightening disease on another continent, the first cases found in the U.S., the…
Love, Marriage and the Vatican: Americans' Attitudes about Marriage and the Catholic Church blog
Next week, the world’s Catholic bishops will descend upon Rome for an Extraordinary General Council of the Synod. This rare meeting of church leaders has…