Research Library

The author shows that mosque construction in Islamic states increased after 1979, when political elites adopted a strategy of Islamic nation-building. Mosques visually manifested a regime’s religious authority. The findings have implications for understanding the use of symbolic religious structures as tools for nation-building — a goal that is often overlooked due to the tendency to associate nationalism with secular visions of modernity.

The papers in this series examine the ethical, policy and scientific issues that arise in the controversial field of human embryo research.  The reports are part of the grant “Drawing the Line: Assessing and Analyzing the U.S. Rule on Embryo Research from Ethical, Political, and Scientific Perspectives,” which was funded by The Greenwall Foundation. Additional support for the project was provided by the Brocher Foundation and the Baker Institute’s State of Qatar Endowment for International Stem Cell Policy.

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This report is part of a series examining the…

Saudi Arabia’s massive hydrocarbon endowment and ownership of Islamic holy sites have created a unique political economy. In this research paper, energy fellow Jim Krane explores established policy practices and assesses Saudi Arabia’s emerging strategy for future participation in the oil business.

By tracking the math scores and earnings of adults who were in-utero during Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting, the authors were able to identify some of the consequences of prenatal malnutrition and stress.

U.S. studies suggest that the Uber ride-sharing service may reduce alcohol-related driving fatalities. This study, published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, examines the effect of Uber on traffic deaths in South Africa, where driving fatalities are twice the global average and over 60 percent are alcohol-related.

This report, published by UCLA and COLEF and supported by the Baker Institute Mexico Center, reviews the history of the North American Development Bank’s Community Adjustment and Investment Program; evaluates the program’s success and shortcomings; and applies lessons learned to create new jobs and inform the discussion on trade-related community adjustment policies in the context of the ongoing debate on the future of the USMCA.