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From cutting-edge policy research to illuminating analysis, we bring a racial equity lens to the most pressing issues facing our country. For our latest blog posts and media updates, visit our Media page.

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Cover of 'Solving the Affordability Crisis' by People's Action and Dēmos: a rising staircase of icons representing groceries, health care, energy, housing, and child care, each topped with dollar bills."

Solving the Affordability Crisis

The affordability crisis is the result of policy choices — and different choices can reverse it. This report from Dēmos and People's Action traces why housing, utilities, food, health care, and child care have become unaffordable, and five structural solutions for building a people-powered, racially just economy.

Policy Briefs
Demos
People's Action
A Black care worker in scrubs reviews a clipboard with an older Black woman seated on a couch. In the background, composite images show caregivers working with children and supporting elderly adults, overlaid with illustrated icons representing justice, economic opportunity, and care.

Empowering Care Workers: The Key to a Better Care Economy

Good care jobs are the foundation of a good care economy. Empowering care workers through better pay, stronger protections, and collective voice would improve care quality, reduce workforce shortages, and advance racial and economic equity.

Policy Briefs
Nick Wertsch
Row of empty voting booths in a school gym

Missing Voters: The Real Threat to Alabama's Democracy

More than 815,000 Alabamians are missing from the electoral process. In this report, Stand Up Mobile, Dēmos, and Southern Coalition for Social Justice examine who's missing, why, and what Alabama must do to fix it.

Research
Beverly Cooper
Dustin Tyler Broughton
Keshia Morris Desir
Jens Manuel Krogstad
Lucy Krueger
Sarah Ovaska

Leveraging the Idea of Public Structures as Foundations of the Economy

"Public structures" has proven to be an effective organizing idea for more constructive conversations about the role of government in American life. The concept was first developed by the principals of the Topos Partnership in research they conducted for Public Works in 2005, and since then, it has
Policy Briefs
Topos Partnership

Subpriming Our Students: Why We Need a Strong Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

America's students are facing a serious threat from subprime private loans, and the situation could worsen unless Congress votes to close a potential loophole in the proposed Consumer Financial Protection Agency.

Policy Briefs
U.S. PIRG

Environmental Standards and the GSP: A Policy Brief

The United States has long granted trade preferences to developing countries that meet various criteria. These criteria, which are stipulated by the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), have changed with time — reflecting U.S. economic and foreign policy priorities. While the criteria include
Policy Briefs
David Callahan
Cristina Vasile

Environmental Standards and the GSP: A Proposal

The United States has long granted trade preferences to developing countries that meet various criteria. These criteria, which are stipulated by the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), have changed with time — reflecting U.S. economic and foreign policy priorities.  While the criteria
Research
David Callahan
Cristina Vasile

The Operation, Impact, and Future of the U.S. Preference Programs

Testimony of Margrete Strand Ranges, Director of the Sierra Club's Responsible Trade Program Demos, in collaboration with a variety of environmental groups, including the Sierra Club, helped prepare the following testimony presented at the House Ways and Means Committee hearing on the operation
Testimony and Public Comment
Center for Biological Diversity
Center for International Environmental Law
Defenders of Wildlife
Sierra Club

A Brief History of the Glass-Steagall Act

Background on one of the landmark pieces of financial reform legislation associated with Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal.

Research
James Lardner

Six Principles for True Systemic Risk Reform: A Policy Brief

Comprehensive and meaningful systemic risk reform must undo many of the ill-advised deregulatory measuresof the past 20 years, including the four key changes wrought by the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act.

Policy Briefs
Nomi Prins
Heather C. McGhee

Promoting Broad Prosperity: A Topos Strategy and Research Brief

Since the Spring of 2007 and continuing into the Summer of 2009, Public Works: The Demos Center for the Public Sector and the Topos Partnership have collaborated on a Ford Foundation-funded effort to create a new public conversation on the role of government in the economy. This effort has included
Research
Meg Bostrom
Joe Grady

Government, The Economy and We, The People

Creating Public Will to Shape an Economy that Works for All
Policy Briefs
Topos Partnership

Is Everyone Else Doing It? Indiana's Voter Identification Law in International Perspective

From the Harvard Law and Policy Review  
Research
Tova Andrea Wang