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Is the public in the midst of a fundamental change of attitude, becoming so partisan that working together on public policy solutions is less and less likely? Pioneering social scientist Daniel Yankelovich, chairman and co-founder of Public Agenda, doesn't think so. Speaking at the Maxwell School/Public Agenda Policy Breakfast, Yankelovich said the public is experiencing a wave of mistrust, frustration and anger like those during the 1950s McCarthy era and the late 1970s. This mood, said Yankelovich, will pass - but probably not until fears about the economy recede. Click here to see the video of this discussion on issues ranging from health care and financial reform to taxes and green jobs.
ISSUE GUIDES
ABORTIONMore than a generation after the 1973 Roe v. Wade U.S. Supreme Court decision that made abortion legal in the U.S., public debate on the subject continues to follow the well-worn path between condemnation and choice. Public attitudes do not.
Where advocates on both sides tend to lay out their arguments in terms of absolute moral rights and wrongs, the public seems to see conflicts and conditions. Solid majorities support a woman's right to choose abortion - if her reasons seem sound and if it's not too late in the pregnancy.
On an individual level, medical technology is making the issue more complex. In some respects, changing technology - such as the "abortion pill" and ultrasound-guided abortions available as early as eight days after conception – have made abortion both easier and more accepted. In other respects, new technology – such as ultrasound photos from the womb and developments making a fetus viable at earlier stages of pregnancy – has sparked new questions.
Research Studies
| Children & Families | Crime & Corrections | Education | Economy | Foreign Policy | Health Care | Science & Technology | Other Studies |
All Work and No Play?In this survey of teens and parents, Public Agenda found the vast majority of students regularly participate in organized activities in their out-of-school time. Most students believe kids who participate are better off than those who don't. But there are stark differences in the experiences of low-income and minority parents, who are much more likely to say they have trouble finding high-quality, convenient and affordable activities for their children.
What Parents Are Saying About TV TodayBased on Public Agenda's broader research on families, this analysis outlines parents' concerns about sex, violence, and profanity on TV and profiles some of the important differences among various groups of parents those with young children vs. those with teens, for example. It chronicles parents' sometimes frustrating efforts to regulate their own children's viewing and suggests why many of them are not as successful in this area as they hope to be. Parents say that television is an inescapable presence in society today, even as they worry about what their children learn from it.
A Lot Easier Said Than DoneA majority of parents surveyed say American society is an inhospitable climate for raising children, where parents can never let down their guard in the face of popular culture, drugs and crime.
Nearly half the parents we surveyed for "A Lot Easier Said Than Done" said that they worry more about protecting their child from negative social influences than they do about paying the bills or having enough family time together. Six in 10 rated their generation as either "fair" or "poor" in raising children.
Necessary CompromisesAt a time when two-income families and single parents have become the norm, parents struggle with fears and concerns over who should care for their children, believing the primary responsibility of child care rests with them. Though employers say they are willing to help out, they worry about cost and liability issues. Child advocates, meanwhile, have a different vision of child care, one modeled on European national systems, in which the government helps parents shoulder the load. 2000.
Kids These Days '99The second in a series of studies to document Americans' attitudes towards the nation's youth. The results have changed little in two years with few adults or teens believing that the next generation will make America a better place. Parents, instead of social forces, are held accountable for how their children turnout. The consistency in the findings suggests how deep-seated American's anxieties about the next generation are. 1999.
Trust and Confidence in the California CourtsAvailable from the Judicial Council of California. This focus group and in-depth interview study, commissioned on behalf of the Judicial Council of California, examined attitudes about the state courts among both the general public who have used the state courts and the judicial administrators and officers who serve there.
Straight Talk/Street TalkWith support from The Annie E. Casey Foundation and The New York Community Trust, Public Agenda investigated the potential for increased communication and dialogue between community residents and the police in San Antonio, Texas, New Haven, Connecticut, and New York City. Based on focus groups, interviews, and dialogue sessions with a mix of "regular" citizens and police officers, our research found both the public and the police to be potential beneficiaries of increased communication.
The Iron Triangle“The Iron Triangle” examines the views of more than two dozen college and university presidents who shared their thoughts with us in lengthy, one-on-one interviews. We found that in the view of many college and university presidents, the three main factors in higher education—cost, quality, and access—exist in what we call an iron triangle, and any change in one will inevitably impact the others. This is in opposition to the public, business and government leaders, who don't accept the idea that there is necessarily a reciprocal relationship between cost, quality, and access.
Lessons Learned, Issue No. 3: New Teachers Talk About Their Jobs, Challenges and Long-Range Plans
Download our "Lessons Learned: New Teachers Talk About Their Jobs, Challenges and Long-Range Plans" series of reports: Issue No. 1: They're Not Little Kids Anymore: The Special Challenges of New Teachers in High Schools and Middle Schools; Issue No. 2: Working Without a Net: How Teachers from Three Prominent Alternate Route Programs Describe Their First Year on The Job; and Issue No. 3: Teaching In Changing Times.
A Mission of The HeartWhat does it really take to transform a troubled school into one where students thrive? What do principals actually do during the school day? What traits and skills do they consider essential to turning a struggling school around?
Out Before the Game BeginsThis Public Agenda report, prepared for IBM's summit on "America's Competitiveness: Hispanic Participation in Technology Careers," is based on in-depth interviews with 19 key leaders from vastly different fields and backgrounds. Nearly all of the interviewees said that when it comes to Hispanic and Latino students, the education pipeline is all but broken.
A Matter of TrustThis Public Agenda report, prepared for IBM's summit on "America's Competitiveness: Hispanic Participation in Technology Careers," indicates that Hispanic families share the aspirations and anxieties of many other families nationwide, and yet also describe concerns, ideas, approaches and relationships with the public school system in ways that are sometimes distinctive.
Lessons Learned: New Teachers Talk About Their Jobs, Challenges and Long-Range Plans, Issue No. 2
Download our "Lessons Learned: New Teachers Talk About Their Jobs, Challenges and Long-Range Plans" series of reports - Issue No. 1: They're Not Little Kids Anymore: The Special Challenges of New Teachers in High Schools and Middle Schools; Issue No. 2: Working Without a Net: How Teachers from Three Prominent Alternate Route Programs Describe Their First Year on The Job; and Issue No. 3: Teaching In Changing Times.
Lessons Learned: New Teachers Talk About Their Jobs, Challenges and Long-Range Plans, Issue No. 1
Download our "Lessons Learned: New Teachers Talk About Their Jobs, Challenges and Long-Range Plans" series of reports - Issue No. 1: They're Not Little Kids Anymore: The Special Challenges of New Teachers in High Schools and Middle Schools; Issue No. 2: Working Without a Net: How Teachers from Three Prominent Alternate Route Programs Describe Their First Year on The Job; and Issue No. 3: Teaching In Changing Times.
Important, But Not for MeThere is growing consensus among the nation's business, government and higher education leaders that unless schools do more to train and nurture a whole new generation of young Americans with strong skills in math, science and technology, U.S. leadership in the world economy is at risk.
Our report, Important, But Not for Me, concludes that Kansas and Missouri parents and students didn't get the memo.
The Energy Learning Curve
The first Energy Learning Curve ™ report, released in association with Planet Forward, finds the American people reaching common ground on at least 10 major energy proposals, particularly on alternative energy. But the public may not yet be prepared for the tradeoffs and challenges needed to make these proposals a reality.
Compassion, Concern and Conflicted FeelingsEight in 10 New Yorkers say homelessness is a major problem both locally and nationally. An overwhelming majority considers shelter to be a basic human right, and two-thirds say people are homeless because of circumstances beyond their control. Affordable housing is named as the chief concern facing New York City, and more than one-third say they feel personally vulnerable to becoming homeless.
A Few Bad Apples?In focus groups conducted in collaboration with The Kettering Foundation, Public Agenda found that citizens define business ethics more broadly than executives do. When typical citizens talk about business ethics, they cite executives who enrich themselves while driving their companies into the ground. Protecting employees' jobs, they say, should be a top ethical priority. When executives talk about ethics, they are concerned about the damage recent scandals have done to business' reputation and the need to restore public trust.
Now That I'm Here
A survey of immigrants finds an overwhelming majority committed to working hard and staying off government assistance. Almost nine in 10 say it's extremely important for immigrants to learn English and their views on bilingual education are similar to the general public. A majority has a favorable view of the INS, although they express frustration with immigration bureaucracy. Three-quarters say the government has become stricter with immigrants since Sept. 11 and six in 10 say there is at least some anti-immigrant discrimination in the U.S.
The Energy Learning Curve
The first Energy Learning Curve ™ report, released in association with Planet Forward, finds the American people reaching common ground on at least 10 major energy proposals, particularly on alternative energy. But the public may not yet be prepared for the tradeoffs and challenges needed to make these proposals a reality.
Public Agenda Confidence in U.S. Foreign Policy Index, Spring 2008The Spring 2008 edition of the Confidence in U.S. Foreign Policy Index shows rising fears about the health of the U.S. economy are spilling over into the public’s thinking about foreign policy issues, and their concerns about the nation's dependence on others to satisfy its energy needs are particularly pronounced.
Public Agenda Confidence in U.S. Foreign Policy Index, Fall 2007This edition of the index, examining two years of data, finds the public doubts U.S. foreign policy is working and is increasingly skeptical about whether anything can turn the situation around. The public shows a growing loss of confidence in many foreign policy strategies, including options that the public has always considered among the most promising, such as controlling immigration and improved intelligence gathering.
Public Agenda Confidence in U.S. Foreign Policy Index, Spring 2007Public anxiety about America's place in the world has reached troubling levels. The Spring 2007 edition of the Confidence in U.S. Foreign Policy Index suggests that Americans' anguish over Iraq is spilling over into other areas of foreign policy. The Anxiety Indicator, which tracks the public's overall comfort level with foreign policy, stands at 137. That is a seven-point increase in the indicator since the fall, edging closer to the 150-mark that would indicate a crisis of confidence.
Public Agenda Confidence in U.S. Foreign Policy Index, Fall 2006Americans see a world of growing dangers, few solutions and little in U.S. foreign policy that seems to be working, according to the latest Public Agenda Confidence in U.S. Foreign Policy Index. This edition of the index introduces the "Anxiety Indicator," tracking the public's overall outlook on world affairs. The Fall 2006 indicator shows that public anxiety on international affairs is at high levels (a score of 130 on a 200-point scale), enough to show a deep dissatisfaction with current policies.
Public Agenda Confidence in U.S. Foreign Policy Index, Winter 2006The second edition of the Public Agenda Confidence in U.S. Foreign Policy Index finds new concerns pushing their way into public consciousness even as worries identified in the first edition persist. Most of the public ranks promoting democracy in other countries as the least important of the foreign policy goals we asked about (20 percent say it's "very important") and seems to doubt the United States can achieve it. Public concern seems to have moderated in some cases, as with America's image in the Muslim world.
Public Agenda Confidence in U.S. Foreign Policy Index, Summer 2005The inaugural edition of the Confidence in U.S. Foreign Policy Index finds the public's concerns are dominated by issues that all lead back to the central theme of Islam and the West. So far, public thinking on this problem is a disquieting mix of high anxiety, growing uncertainly about current policy, and virtually no consensus about what the country might do. In addition, the survey finds the problems of illegal immigration and protecting American jobs in a global economy resonate strongly with the public.
Impressions Of HIV/AIDS In AmericaA generation after it was first discovered, what do most Americans know about HIV/AIDS? Do they know how it is transmitted and treated? How it can be prevented? How do people feel about people who are living with HIV? Government efforts to combat the epidemic?
Impressions Of HIV/AIDS In AmericaA generation after it was first discovered, what do most Americans know about HIV/AIDS? Do they know how it is transmitted and treated? How it can be prevented? How do people feel about people who are living with HIV? Government efforts to combat the epidemic?
The Energy Learning Curve
The first Energy Learning Curve ™ report, released in association with Planet Forward, finds the American people reaching common ground on at least 10 major energy proposals, particularly on alternative energy. But the public may not yet be prepared for the tradeoffs and challenges needed to make these proposals a reality.
Out Before the Game BeginsThis Public Agenda report, prepared for IBM's summit on "America's Competitiveness: Hispanic Participation in Technology Careers," is based on in-depth interviews with 19 key leaders from vastly different fields and backgrounds. Nearly all of the interviewees said that when it comes to Hispanic and Latino students, the education pipeline is all but broken.
A Matter of TrustThis Public Agenda report, prepared for IBM's summit on "America's Competitiveness: Hispanic Participation in Technology Careers," indicates that Hispanic families share the aspirations and anxieties of many other families nationwide, and yet also describe concerns, ideas, approaches and relationships with the public school system in ways that are sometimes distinctive.
Putting the Pieces Together The new research uncovers a serious barrier to advancing national dialogue on energy issues: the profound mismatch in how leaders and the public define the problem and think about solutions. The research is based on a series of focus groups across the country and interviews with experts on an array of energy issues.
The Science of Aging GracefullyThis study examines the views of scientists who study aging and compares them to the broader public. Scientists say the field is on the threshold of a new way of thinking, shifting focus from specific illnesses to searching to understand aging itself as a biological process. The report suggests that many of the scientists' concerns about the public's understanding of these issues emanate from political arguments or media coverage rather than actual public opinion at large.
The Energy Learning Curve
The first Energy Learning Curve ™ report, released in association with Planet Forward, finds the American people reaching common ground on at least 10 major energy proposals, particularly on alternative energy. But the public may not yet be prepared for the tradeoffs and challenges needed to make these proposals a reality.
Voters' Experiences In 2008 And The Future Of EngagementNew research from Public Agenda shows voters are primed for further engagement in civic life, whether they voted for Barack Obama or not. Many observers have worried that the nation's troubled balloting system would turn voters off from participation, in or out of the voting booth, but our new Voter Experience Survey suggests otherwise.
Walking a Mile: A First Step Toward Mutual UnderstandingThis new study is one of the most in-depth examinations ever made of the thinking of American Indians and non-Indians about each other. The research--based on 12 focus groups conducted in 2006 and 2007--explores Indians' perceptions of their own place in contemporary American society and how non-Indians view American Indians, what they know (or think they know), the generalizations they make and stereotypes they hold, how their perceptions were formed and their interest in learning more. The research was made possible by a grant from The Christian A. Johnson Endeavor Foundation.
Long OverdueIn this survey of the public, we find Americans prize public library service and see libraries as potential solutions to many communities’ most pressing problems, from universal access to computers to the need for better options for keeping teens safe and productive. But few Americans are aware of the increasingly tenuous financial picture faced by many libraries. Forty-five percent give an "A" to their local community for maintaining well-run libraries, far ahead of any other community institutions, including schools, parks and police.
Facing Up to the Nation's FinancesTwo public opinion research studies from the nonpartisan "Facing Up to the Nation's Finances" initiative conclude that the public has little difficulty understanding the magnitude of the fiscal challenge facing the nation and is willing to consider tough tradeoffs to address the growing national debt. But public support comes with one key condition: finding ways to increase trust that their leaders will spend their money responsibly.
Religion and Public Life, 2000-2004This survey, a follow-up to For Goodness' Sake, compares how Americans' views of religion in public life have changed since 2000. The survey found a smaller number of Americans who believe that deeply religious elected officials sometimes have to compromise in the political arena (although slim majorities still do). There are major decreases among those who attend religious services weekly.
THE IMMIGRATION DEBATE: VOICES & VIEWS TO CONSIDER
Immigration reform is back in the spotlight. As the policy debate heats up, it's worth noting that to craft a policy that works, it helps to hear the voices of the immigrants themselves. In our survey, A Place to Call Home: What Immigrants Say Now About Life In America, immigrants talk about why they're here, the challenges they face, and their views on reform proposals. Majorities told us they adapted quickly to life in the U.S. and made the right choice in coming here. Click here to see our report, funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.
