Research Library

On September 13, 1993, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Negotiator Mahmoud Abbas met at the White House to sign a Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements — commonly referred to as the “Oslo Accord.” The Accord stated that Israel accepted the PLO as the representative of the Palestinians, and the PLO renounced terrorism and recognized Israel’s right to exist in peace.

In months and years following Hurricane Harvey, the vast majority of Harris County residents supported policy action to mitigate the impact of future natural disasters. On this episode of Baker Briefing, fellow Edward Emmett and Rice faculty scholar Jim Blackburn explore a critical question: Is Houston ready for the next big storm?

In July, the Chinese government announced that its foreign minister, Qin Gang, had been removed from office and replaced by his predecessor, Wang Yi. Fellows Joe Barnes and Steven W. Lewis discuss what the move reveals — and what it could mean for U.S.-China relations — on this episode of Baker Briefing.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is facing a historic impeachment trial in the state Senate. Fellows Mark Jones and Ed Emmett unpack the issues and make predictions regarding the trial in this episode of Baker Briefing.

This week, the White House announced a new initiative to tackle the growing use of fentanyl laced with xylazine — known to many as "tranq." This combination of drugs poses an alarming and significant threat to public health.

Former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Earl Anthony Wayne and the Center for the U.S. and Mexico's Tony Payan explore the complex relationship between Mexico and the U.S. and what their future might hold.

Young people in the U.S. face an unprecedented mental health crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated rates of depression, anxiety and suicide among adolescents that were already at historically high levels before the pandemic. Since 2020, mental health-related emergency room visits have increased 31% among adolescents while suicide rates among teenagers increased 25%.

Child labor laws are failing migrant children. As children from Latin America migrate to the United States in record numbers, many are ending up in dangerous jobs that violate child labor legislation. What steps are needed to ensure that vulnerable migrant children are protected from exploitation?

Latin America represents the largest energy resource base outside of the Middle East. The region’s vast energy resources — including significant crude oil and natural gas resources — and its unique political landscape make Latin America a significant player that could shift the geopolitical weight from the East to the West.  

Houston is the most ethnically diverse city in the U.S. It has been called a “microcosm of America’s future” based on its changing economic, demographic, and cultural landscapes. It is also home to the Kinder Houston Area Survey — the nation’s longest-running metropolitan study of its kind.