Welcome...

The Public Policy Institute (PPI), a research unit of the University of Texas at Austin in the Department of Government, focuses on public policy issues salient to the State of Texas.  The PPI supports research on topics including education, immigration, law enforcement, voting and elections, naturalization and citizenship, ethnic relations, welfare reform, bilingual education, access to information technology, economic development along the Texas/Mexico border, and the effect of high-tech growth on the Austin area. Although our research has covered a wide range of subjects over the last decade, the PPI is particularly interested in issues relevant to the growing Latino/Hispanic population.

The PPI 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 research organizations, such as the Tomás Rivera Policy Institute (TRPI) and the UT Population Research Center (PRC).  We also facilitate graduate student collaboration with faculty members and award research grants to graduate students for doctoral and other research.  The PPI also supports faculty research consistent with its mission and works with faculty at other universities in Texas, such as Texas A&M University and the University of Texas-Pan American.

The PPI supports the publication of reports, papers, books, academic journal articles, book chapters, and primers, thereby disseminating our research to a wide audience.  We are beginning to convert many of our paper reports and publications into PDF format so that they can be posted in a “Publications” section of this website.  Please check back in the summer to see an expanding list of available research products.