Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy

ICYMI: The recent wave of military coups in West Africa have garnered widespread civilian support. In a new commentary from The Conversation U.S., postdoctoral associate Salah Ben Hammou, Ph.D. discusses how civilian support — a phenomenon typically viewed as an anomaly to coups — is, in fact, crucial. Ben Hammou also emphasizes the need to understand underlying political contexts and social challenges that lead civilians to such public backing. Read more: https://bit.ly/40npE7T 

🗨️ The mass deportation called for by the GOP would hurt industries like construction and be a “PR nightmare” for the party, Mark P. Jones told the Editorial Board at the San Antonio Express-News. “You would have literally millions of stories out there ... about how you are destroying or severely disrupting or devastating millions of U.S.-born children.” https://lnkd.in/g38F24Hi

McClain Sampson, PhD and Priscilla Kennedy, PhD, LMSW outline the chronic gender and family issues facing Americans in the 2024 election — such as wage and leadership gaps, reproductive health disparities, and child care access and affordability — and the significance of electing a woman president to tackle them. Read more: https://bit.ly/3BWb7Wp

The recent wave of military coups in West Africa have garnered widespread civilian support. In a new commentary from The Conversation U.S., postdoctoral associate Salah Ben Hammou, Ph.D. discusses how civilian support — a phenomenon typically viewed as an anomaly to coups — is, in fact, crucial. Ben Hammou also emphasizes the need to understand underlying political contexts and social challenges that lead civilians to such public backing. Read more: https://bit.ly/40npE7T 

Last chance to RSVP! Tomorrow, we will host a live Baker Briefing podcast on the rise of #ChristianNationalism in American politics — specifically its impact on public policy and education in #Texas. Experts will focus on key topics: 🔹 Impact on public school curriculums. 🔹 Effects on governance and national policy. 🔹 Future of religious freedom in America. 📅 Date/Time: Oct. 24 at 5:00 pm CDT 📍 Location: Baker Hall https://bit.ly/3YauMJs

⏳ Happening tomorrow! We are excited to host experts Sen. Carol Alvarado, David L. Callender, Wayne Young, Lisa Wright, and Carol Huber for a panel discussion on enhancing #Texas’ health care investment. It is free & open to the public. 🎟️ Register below: https://bit.ly/3MN7a8N

READ: If adequately supported and scaled, Alaskan #geothermal power could “be leveraged as part of a broader energy abundance agenda” in the United States, writes the Baker Institute Center for Energy Studies (CES)’s Gabriel Collins. Elsewhere along the Pacific Rim, geothermal power hot spots like Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Taiwan could use the resource to boost local energy security — and in the case of Taiwan, help resist a potential blockade by #China. Read Collins’ article in Foreign Policy: https://bit.ly/3zFyaUO.

As debates over religion’s role in public life grow, #Texas has become a focal point for #ChristianNationalism, shaping both public policy and education. On Oct. 24, join us for a live Baker Briefing podcast with experts Michael O. Emerson and David Brockman. They will explore how Christian influences are impacting public school curriculums and political discourse — and the effects felt nationwide. Hosted by Baker Institute Director David M. Satterfield, Baker Briefing is a podcast tackling today’s critical policy issues through conversations with experts from the Baker Institute. Registration is available here: https://bit.ly/3YauMJs #Houston #Events

At our recent event, we convened top Texas journalists to analyze the state of the Senate race between Cruz & Allred. With TX voter registration surging past 18M, these new voters could be key in shaping Texas’ political future. Will Texas flip blue for the first time since ’76? Learn More: https://bit.ly/4d9w1yl #BakerLive #TexasPolitics #USElections2024 #VoterRegistration

READ: What do Donald Trump’s and Kamala Harris’ records say about how they would approach science and technology policy if elected? Trump proposed cuts across nearly every federal science agency during each fiscal year of his presidency, while the Biden-Harris administration proposed increases each year, with a strong initial push in 2022-23. But Harris and Trump agree on the need to stay competitive with #China on emerging technologies like #AI, quantum science, and advanced manufacturing. 🔬 Read more from Kenneth Evans, a scholar at Baker Institute Science & Technology Policy, in The Conversation US: https://bit.ly/3zNpg7O.