Home Research Topics International Affairs

International Affairs

Topic Spotlight

Foreign Aid Support: About eight-in-ten Americans say the U.S. should provide humanitarian aid like medicine, food and clothing to developing nations. (Read the report)
International Engagement: Roughly half of Americans think it is best for the future of the country for the U.S. to be active in world affairs. (Read the report)
China Views: Negative views of China have softened slightly among Americans, the first such shift in five years. (Read the report)

reportApr 8, 2025

More disapprove than approve of leaving the WHO and ending USAID. About half see tariffs on China as bad for the U.S. and them personally, but views differ by party.

reportApr 17, 2025

A shipping crate from China awaits inspection by U.S. Customs and Border Protection at a Los Angeles freight facility in 2022.

reportApr 17, 2025

short readApr 8, 2025

U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he welcomes him to the White House on April 7, 2025. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

All

International Affairs

Publications

Filtered by:

reportOct 24, 2001

America’s New Internationalist Point of View

Introduction and Summary The terrorist attacks and the war in Afghanistan have created a new internationalist sentiment among the public. There is much more support for a multilateral foreign policy than before Sept.11, with roughly six-in-ten (59%) now saying that the interests of allies should be taken into account by U.S. policymakers. By about a […]
reportOct 22, 2001

Attacks at Home Draw More Interest than War Abroad

Introduction and Summary As reports of anthrax attacks dominate the media, the public is paying far greater attention to news of terrorism at home than to the war in Afghanistan. Interest in terrorist attacks is now running as high as during the early days after Sept. 11 – fully 78% are following news of terrorism […]
reportOct 18, 2001

The View Before 9/11: America’s Place in the World

Report Summary America’s view of the world changed dramatically, and perhaps permanently, on Sept. 11. But in order to measure the nature and extent of these changes it is important to understand where attitudes toward international issues stood before the attacks occurred. A three-month survey by the Pew Research Center, in collaboration with the Council […]
reportOct 15, 2001

Public Remains Steady in Face of Anthrax Scare

Introduction and Summary Reports of new anthrax cases in New York and elsewhere are not raising public anxiety or further demoralizing Americans. Reports of depression, sleeplessness and concern over renewed terrorism have not increased following the news on Oct. 12 that an NBC employee had been infected with anthrax. In the wake of those reports, […]
reportOct 10, 2001

The Commons of the Tragedy: How the Internet was used by millions after the terror attacks

The most significant development online after the attack has been the outpouring of grief, prayerful communication, information dissemination through email, and political commentary.
transcriptOct 5, 2001

Just War Tradition and the New War on Terrorism

National Press Club Washington, D.C. A discussion with: Jean Bethke Elshtain, Professor, University of Chicago and Co-chair, Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life Professor Elshtain is a political philosopher whose task has been to show the connections between our political and our ethical convictions. Her works include Augustine and the Limits of Politics and […]
reportSep 27, 2001

Military Action A Higher Priority Than Homeland Defense

Introduction and Summary The public’s strong commitment to the use of military force in retaliation for the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks is predicated at least in part on the idea that a good offense represents the best defense. By 44%-33%, Americans think that taking military action abroad to destroy global terrorist networks is more important […]
reportSep 19, 2001

American Psyche Reeling From Terror Attacks

Introduction and Summary Americans are standing tall at a time of crisis — they are united in their approval of the nation’s leaders, paying rapt attention to news, and say they are willing to suffer thousands of military casualties in a protracted conflict to retaliate for last week’s terrorist attacks. But at the same time […]
reportSep 15, 2001

How Americans Used the Internet After the Terror Attack

The Internet was not a primary resource for news for most Americans after the terror attacks, but was a helpful supplement to TV and the telephone; many found it useful for expressing their sorrow and anger.
reportAug 15, 2001

Bush Unpopular in Europe, Seen As Unilateralist

Overview George W. Bush is highly unpopular with the publics of the major nations of Western Europe. By wide margins, people in Germany, France, Great Britain and Italy all disapprove of his handling of international policy, and the American president does not inspire much more confidence in these countries than does Russian President Vladimir Putin. […]

Signature Reports

reportDec 6, 2023

How close do people feel to others around the world? How much do they want their countries involved in international affairs? How do people’s experiences with travel and feelings of international connectedness relate to their views about the world? A recent 24-nation survey explores these questions.

reportFeb 28, 2024

A 24-country survey finds a median of 59% are dissatisfied with how their democracy is functioning, and 74% think elected officials don’t care what people like them think.

reportMar 13, 2024