Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Focus groups with young adults in France, Germany and the United Kingdom revealed that these young people see the U.S. as the “world’s policeman” with a self-interested history of interventionism, while China is labeled the “world’s factory,” respected for its economic dominance but criticized for its expansionism and human rights violations.
Incidents against Jewish people in 2020 ranged from verbal and physical assaults to vandalism of cemeteries and scapegoating for the pandemic.
Nearly six-in-ten want organizations working for Black progress to address the distinct challenges facing Black LGBTQ people. Black Americans are more likely to know someone who is transgender or nonbinary than to identify as such themselves.
Religiously unaffiliated people were harassed by governments, private groups or both in 27 countries in 2020.
More Americans say their country’s influence in the world has been getting weaker rather than stronger in recent years (47% vs. 19%).
Most think social media has made it easier to manipulate and divide people, but they also say it informs and raises awareness.
People in advanced and emerging economies have mixed feelings about social media’s impact on political life.
Nearly a quarter of countries used force to prevent religious gatherings during the pandemic; other government restrictions and social hostilities related to religion remained fairly stable.
Perceptions of strong partisan conflict are most widespread among adults in South Korea, the United States, Israel, France and Hungary.
When comparing turnout among the voting-age population in recent national elections in 50 countries, the U.S. ranks 31st.
