Welcome

The Irma Rangel Public Policy Institute, a research unit of the University of Texas at Austin in the Department of Government and the College of Liberal Arts, focuses on public policy issues salient to the State of Texas. The Institute has supported research on topics such as education, migration, law enforcement, voting and elections, naturalization and citizenship, ethnic relations, food policy, welfare reform, the military and society, language policy, access to information technology, and economic development. Although our research has covered a wide range of subjects over the last two decades, the Institute is particularly interested in issues relevant to the growing Latino/Hispanic population.

The Institute provides unique opportunities for graduate students to acquire hands-on experience in conducting policy research. In addition to the projects we initiate, students work on collaborative projects with other UT units. We also facilitate graduate student collaboration with faculty members and award research grants to graduate students for doctoral and other research. The Institute also supports faculty research consistent with its mission and has worked with faculty at other universities in Texas, such as Texas A&M University, the University of Texas-Pan American, and the University of Texas at San Antonio.

The Institute supports the publication of books, working papers, academic journal articles, policy briefs, book chapters, and primers, thereby disseminating our research to a wide audience.