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Explore Pew Forum analyses—including public opinion poll reports, demographic reports, research studies, legal reports and graphics—on an array of topics and issues at the intersection of religion and public life.

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ANALYSIS November 21, 2012
Laws Penalizing Blasphemy, Apostasy and Defamation of Religion are Widespread
On Nov. 20, a Pakistani court ordered blasphemy charges dropped against a Christian teenager who had been accused of burning pages from the Quran. A new Pew Forum analysis finds that as of 2011 nearly half the countries and territories in the world have laws against blasphemy, apostasy or defamation. 
ANALYSIS November 16, 2012
Faith on the Hill: The Religious Composition of the 113th Congress
The newly elected 113th Congress includes the first Buddhist to serve in the Senate, the first Hindu to serve in either chamber and the first member of Congress to describe her religion as "none." While Congress remains majority Protestant, the institution is far less so today than it was 50 years ago. 
ANALYSIS November 7, 2012
How the Faithful Voted: 2012 Preliminary Analysis
Obama's margin of victory in the 2012 popular vote was smaller than in 2008. But the religious contours of the electorate were similar to recent elections – traditionally Republican groups such as white evangelicals and weekly churchgoers strongly backed Romney, while traditionally Democratic groups such as black Protestants, Hispanic Catholics, Jews and the religiously unaffiliated backed Obama by large margins. 
ANALYSIS October 11, 2012
The Catholic “Swing” Vote
Catholics are often identified as a major "swing" voting group in American politics. A new analysis shows that the only group of Catholics that has been divided in recent elections is white Catholics who identify as political moderates.
ANALYSIS October 2, 2012
Preaching Politics From the Pulpit
During every election cycle, many churches and other religious groups find themselves wondering what role, if any, they can play in the political process. "Preaching Politics From the Pulpit" explains the IRS limits on political activity by nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations. An accompanying graphic shows that Americans continue to be wary of church involvement in partisan politics.
ANALYSIS September 20, 2012
Rising Tide of Restrictions on Religion
Between mid-2009 and mid-2010, religious restrictions rose not only in countries that began the year with high or very high restrictions, such as Indonesia and Nigeria, but also in many countries that began with low or moderate restrictions, such as Switzerland and the United States. The report looks at restrictions due to government actions as well as acts of violence and intimidation by private individuals, organizations and social groups. 
ANALYSIS June 7, 2012
Candidate Preference by Religious Group, June Update
Polling conducted in May and early June by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press finds that Mitt Romney continues to hold a commanding lead over Barack Obama among white evangelical voters. But Obama leads Romney by large margins among black Protestants and religiously unaffiliated voters.
ANALYSIS April 17, 2012
General Election Preferences by Religious Group
The latest Pew Research Center polling shows that Obama has strong support from black Protestants and the religiously unaffiliated, while Romney holds a lead among white evangelicals and white Catholics. The complete report includes general election preferences by religion and by gender within religious groups as well as voters' views on which issues are very important in deciding who to vote for this fall.
ANALYSIS April 4, 2012
Religion and the 2012 Republican Primaries: Maryland and Wisconsin
In the Maryland and Wisconsin primaries, Romney and Santorum ran neck and neck among white born-again/evangelical voters, while Romney was the clear favorite of non-evangelical voters. Romney was also victorious among Wisconsin voters who attend religious services only occasionally and those who attach little importance to having a candidate who shares their religious beliefs.
ANALYSIS March 26, 2012
Religion and the 2012 Louisiana Republican Primary
Rick Santorum got his first clear victory among Catholics in Saturday's Louisiana primary in addition to winning among white evangelical Christians, people who attend worship services weekly and voters who say it is at least somewhat important to have a candidate who shares their religious beliefs.
ANALYSIS March 21, 2012
Religion and the 2012 Illinois Republican Primary
Exit polling from the Illinois Republican primary shows that Romney continues to draw less support from white born-again/evangelical voters than from non-evangelicals, while Santorum has yet to secure an outright victory among Catholic voters in any state for which data are available.
ANALYSIS March 14, 2012
Religion and the 2012 Republican Primaries: Alabama and Mississippi
Santorum won narrow victories in both the Alabama and Mississippi Republican primaries, but exit polling shows there was no clear winner among white born-again/evangelical voters in either state.
ANALYSIS March 8, 2012
Faith on the Move
This study focuses on the religious affiliation of international migrants, examining patterns of migration among seven major groups: Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, adherents of other religions and the religiously unaffiliated.
ANALYSIS March 7, 2012
Religion in the Super Tuesday Primaries
Exit polls from Super Tuesday primaries show that Mitt Romney continues to struggle among evangelicals, and Rick Santorum is yet to win among Catholics in any state where exit polling was conducted.  
ANALYSIS March 2, 2012
Synopsis of Religion in the Early Republican Primaries
Data from exit or entrance polling in the seven states where it has been conducted for GOP primaries and caucuses show that Mitt Romney’s fortunes among white born-again/evangelical voters have fluctuated from state to state. He has received less support from evangelicals than from non-evangelicals in every contest for which data are available.
ANALYSIS February 29, 2012
Religion and the 2012 Republican Primaries: Arizona and Michigan
Mitt Romney won the Arizona primary by a large margin and secured a narrow victory in the Michigan primary. In both states, his support among born-again/evangelical voters was weaker than among non-evangelicals, continuing the pattern from previous primaries and caucuses in other states.
ANALYSIS February 23, 2012
Religion in the News: Islam and Politics Dominate Religion Coverage in 2011
The biggest religion stories of 2011 involved tensions over Islam and questions about faith in presidential politics, especially Mormonism, according to an annual review of religion in the news.
ANALYSIS February 15, 2012
Religion and the Presidential Campaign: February Update
A new Pew Research Center poll finds that Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney are now virtually tied in the race for the Republican presidential nomination. Santorum’s improving fortunes in the GOP race have been buoyed by a surge in support among white evangelicals, who now express a clear preference for Santorum over Romney and Newt Gingrich.
ANALYSIS February 14, 2012
Public Divided Over Birth Control Insurance Mandate
Americans who have heard about the federal rule that would require employers to provide birth control as part of their health care benefits are closely divided over whether religiously affiliated institutions should be given an exemption. Sharp divisions of opinion exist on the issue by religious affiliation, party and ideology.
ANALYSIS February 7, 2012
Religion and Attitudes Toward Same-Sex Marriage
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Feb. 7 that a 2008 California referendum banning same-sex marriage is unconstitutional. According to the Pew Research Center’s latest polling on the issue, support for same-sex marriage varies by religious group.
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