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Policy Discourse and Decision Making

This broad multidisciplinary program traces how social, political, and institutional dynamics shape and constrain national policymaking in the United States and in comparison with other countries. Experts in political identity, public opinion, inequality, political parties, media, gender, and many others come together to debate and study political processes and institutions and their participants.

A Message From Daniel Galvin, Program Chair

Daniel Galvin

From the partisan divide on COVID-19 to systemic racial injustices to impediments to democratic participation, political institutions are being tested like never before. IPR faculty examine how political, social, and economic dynamics affect institutional operations and decision-making processes in the United States. Researchers analyze the interplay between political institutions, political behavior, and public policies.

Working Papers

Recently published articles and working papers in this program area include:

Adriana Lleras-Muney, Hannes Schwandt, and Laura Wherry. 2024. Poverty and Health (WP-24-26).

Adriana Corredor-Waldron, Janet Currie, and Molly Schnell. 2024. Drivers of Racial Differences in C-Sections (WP-24-24).

Sarah Collier Villaume, Aurelie Ouss, Jonathan Guryan, and Emma Adam. 2024. A Meditation on Multidisciplinarity, in the Context of a School-Based Meditation Intervention (WP-24-04).

All Papers

Faculty Experts

Representing the fields of political science, economics, social policy, psychology, and sociology, faculty delve into the worlds of politics, institutions, and policymaking.

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Policy Brief: Discrimination in the Housing Market

Are government housing practices fair? After WWII, millions of Americans bought homes for the first time thanks to the standardization of 30-year mortgages. IPR political scientist Chloe Thurston explains how many minorities and women were shut out of the housing market due to discriminatory government policies and how they fought for homeownership through advocacy groups like the NAACP and NOW.

Download the brief