Research Library

While many countries are reluctant to accept and integrate refugees, Mexico and Brazil have established effective ways to welcome and absorb refugees through relocation programs. In her new brief, nonresident scholar Elizabeth Ferris outlines how these initiatives promote a win-win scenario by finding solutions that not only enhance refugee protection and well-being but also cater to domestic labor needs.

Can urban design impact our brain health? This issue brief explores how cities can be redesigned to improve our mental well-being and promote healthy aging.

Latinos are the largest and most rapidly expanding minority group in the U.S. Our latest brief describes the overall state of health and wellness among Latino children and the broader community — including indicators of obesity, mental health, and kindergarten readiness.

It may pay to shop around for health care. New legislation requiring transparency in health insurance coverage allows price comparisons between hospitals, across hospital systems, and with different insurers. In a new issue brief, Vivian Ho and co-author Evelyn Li compare quality and analyze pricing data from Houston area hospitals.

Yemen’s Houthi have mounted a selective counter-shipping campaign in the Red Sea that has disrupted global trade between Asia and Europe. In a new issue brief, fellow Jim Krane describes how the attacks have triggered major shipping delays and expenses for firms based in countries friendly to Israel — effectively acting as economic sanctions and demonstrating the power of a non-state actor to undermine global norms around freedom of navigation.

Traditional approaches to displacement are not working, writes Baker Institute nonresident fellow and Georgetown University professor Elizabeth Ferris. For both refugees and internally displaced people, a push to promote self-reliance could be part of the solution.

A recent Supreme Court tax case about the constitutionality of the Mandatory Repatriation Tax (MRT) may have impacts far beyond the federal income tax regime. As we await the court’s final decision, fellow Joyce Beebe outlines the arguments and explains the possible wide-ranging implications of Moore v. United States.

Narcan, the nasal spray that reverses an opioid overdose, is now available without prescription. But how easy is it to get? In this quick take, Rice University students and fellow Katharine Neill Harris investigate the reality of over-the-counter (OTC) access to the live-saving drug naloxone.

Introduction

Car-based transportation in the United States began in the early 20th century. Before that, the country was…

Recent findings from research focus groups show that business owners in Houston’s Third Ward feel excluded from economic development processes happening in their community. Plans to revitalize the neighborhood are ongoing, but current business owners agree that the revitalization process has done little to benefit existing businesses.