Politics & Policy

From Millennials in the workforce to religion in America, our most popular posts told important stories about trends shaping our world.

Congress passed 113 laws, 87 of them substantive, in 2015, making it the most productive first session since 2009.

Survey Report The public’s views of the nation’s economy have shown little change throughout 2015. But Americans are less optimistic about how well the economy will fare over the next year than they were last January. Currently, 45% rate economic conditions as only fair, while 27% view them as excellent or good, and about the […]

From trust in government to views of climate change, here are some of Pew Research Center's most memorable findings of the year.

Republicans, especially conservative Republicans, were more likely to view the institution unfavorably.

From the moon landings to Star Wars, Americans have long had a fascination with space and affection for NASA, but today’s public is divided on what role their government should play in future space exploration.

When GOP presidential candidates meet in Las Vegas tonight for their sixth debate, terrorism, foreign policy and national security are expected to be major topics.

Survey Report Following the terrorist attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, Calif., the public’s concerns about terrorism have surged and positive ratings of the government’s handling of terrorism have plummeted. But other attitudes relating to terrorism and security, as well as perceptions of whether Islam is more likely than other religions to encourage violence, have […]

Survey Report As candidates in both parties prepare for the next round of presidential debates, a new national survey finds that the public is highly engaged by the 2016 campaign. Fully 74% of Americans say they have given a lot or some thought to the candidates, higher than the shares saying this at comparable points […]

Americans pull no punches when assessing the strengths and weaknesses of their fellow citizens.