Americans are re‑examining Islam’s place in Western society, 25 years after the 9/11 attacks.
Survey Reveals Polarized Views
An Ipsos poll commissioned by the Institute for Governance and Civics surveyed 1,067 adults and randomly assigned them to two versions of a question. One version asked whether “Western civilization has done more harm than good,” while the other swapped “Western” for “Islamic.” The Islamic version attracted 44 % agreement, a 21‑point jump over the Western version.
Pro‑West Index Confirms Partisan Split
The same respondents answered five pro‑Western questions that formed a five‑point index. Those scoring a 5— the most pro‑Western—had only a 3 % probability of agreeing that Western civilization caused more harm, versus 73 % for the Islamic version. At the opposite end, a score of 1 yielded an 84 % probability for Western harm and a 9 % probability for Islamic harm.
Right‑Wing Skepticism, Left‑Wing Ambivalence
Right‑leaning respondents overwhelmingly rejected compatibility between Islam and the West, with roughly 75 % saying the two worldviews are incompatible. Left‑leaning respondents tended to claim compatibility, yet 75 % also judged the West as harmful, revealing a parallel distrust of Western values.
Muslim Politicians Enter the Fray
Democratic‑Socialist candidates who are Muslim have recently won high‑profile races. Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor of New York in November 2025, Abdul El‑Sayed captured the Democratic Senate nomination in Michigan, and Adam Hamawy secured the Democratic nomination for New Jersey’s 12th Congressional District.
Republican Critique of Islam
Republican lawmakers have framed Islam as incompatible with American culture. Representative Brandon Gill (TX‑26) declared Islam “incompatible with our culture and our governing system.” In January 2026, Keith Self (TX‑03) and Chip Roy (TX‑21) launched the “Sharia Free America Caucus,” now comprising 24 members, including Andy Ogles (TN‑05), who called Islam “a religion of violence, abuse of women, and ruthless political conquest.”
Public Perception Remains Skeptical
Overall, 67 % of Americans said they value Western civilization’s achievements, while only 4 % rejected that view. Fifty percent felt attached to Western civilization, compared with 9 % who did not. The data show a clear majority favoring Western ideals, yet a sizable partisan gap persists in how those ideals are linked to Islam.
James V. Shuls, Ph.D., a Research Faculty member at the Institute for Governance and Civics, Florida State University, authored the report.
