A closer look at how religious restrictions have risen around the world

Government restrictions on religion – laws, policies and actions by state officials that restrict religious beliefs and practices – have increased around the world since 2007. The same is true of social hostilities involving religion, including violence and harassment by private individuals, organizations or groups. Our 10th annual report dives deeper into these trends.

• Essay: What’s happening in some of the countries with the biggest changes?
• Key findings: How religious restrictions around the world have changed over a decade
• Middle East still home to highest levels of restrictions on religion

Democrats’ ratings of party’s 2020 field: Better than in 2016, similar to 2008

With a large slate of candidates to choose from and the first primary votes still more than six months off, Democratic voters express relatively high levels of satisfaction with the Democratic presidential candidates as a group. The election also is attracting more interest than past elections did at similar points in the cycle.

Americans say the nation’s political debate has grown more toxic and ‘heated’ rhetoric could lead to violence

President Donald Trump’s recent attacks on four lawmakers and an impassioned response from House Democrats are the latest chapter in a long-running debate over what language is appropriate – and what is out of bounds – in U.S. political debates. Here’s a look at Americans’ attitudes on these questions.

• Growing share of Republicans say U.S. risks losing its identity if it is too open to foreigners

How is polling done around the world?

Pew Research Center conducts polls in many countries outside the U.S., but the methodology behind our international surveys can vary from country to country. In the latest installment of our Methods 101 video series, we look at some of the challenges of international polling.

📹 Watch our other Methods 101 videos:

• How can a survey of 1,000 people tell you what the whole U.S. thinks?
• How do you write survey questions that accurately measure public opinion?
• What are nonprobability surveys?
• Phone vs. online surveys: Why do respondents’ answers sometimes differ by mode?

About one-in-five adult Twitter users in the U.S. follow Trump

President Donald Trump is a prolific Twitter user, using the social media site to promote his policies and criticize his opponents. But determining just how many Americans follow Trump on the platform is more challenging than it may sound.

• Decoded: How public and private Twitter users in the U.S. compare

How Americans see the future of space exploration, 50 years after the first moon landing

Republicans have doubts that colleges, K-12 schools are open to range of viewpoints