Overview

Mission

The mission of the Institute for Urban Policy Research & Analysis is a non-partisan think tank that conducts policy relevant research and analysis to develop and disseminate data rich materials with the aim of empowering academics, lawmakers, non-profit organizations, and the general public to advocate for African Americans, Africans, and other communities of color throughout the Americas, beginning in the state of Texas. 

Vision

The Institute for Urban Policy Research & Analysis, research arm of the African and African Diaspora Studies Department at The University of Texas at Austin, is poised to serve as the leader in addressing the systemic factors and identifying policy improvements that address the structural interventions that affect African Americans, Africans, and other communities of color throughout the Americas, through the development and dispersing of quality, nonpartisan research.

History

The Institute for Urban Policy Research & Analysis (IUPRA) was developed in 2011 through the collaborative efforts of the Texas Legislative Black Caucus, the John L. Warfield Center for African and African-American Studies, and the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Texas at Austin. Development of IUPRA was seen as an important method for understanding the impact of public policies on African Americans, Africans, and other communities of color throughout the Americas. Conducting scholarly policy analysis of both existing and proposed legislation was seen as a means of developing relevant data about the causes, content, and consequences of public policy by race, ethnicity, class, language, and culture. The diverse products IUPRA generates are designed to meet the needs of local, national, and international audiences including organizations, communities of color, legislative bodies, scholars, and the general public.