Research Library

Social media influencers can earn hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars each year. But how do they get taxed? In this issue brief, public finance fellow Joyce Beebe explains what tax rules apply to influencers and how tax authorities can improve tax compliance.

The rapid adoption of telemedicine is one of the few positive developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, writes fellow Katharine Neill Harris. She explains why the DEA’s recent proposal to change the rules for prescribing drugs via telemedicine would harm patients and increase demand for and exposure to unregulated and more dangerous drugs.

The number of forcibly displaced people in the world has recently reached a record high: 89.3 million. Women and girls make up almost half of the world’s forcibly displaced populations, while lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, or queer (LGBTIQ+) persons are increasingly seeking refuge outside of their countries of origin.

Driven by the USMCA trade agreement and seeking to reduce supply chain disruptions, Chinese companies are setting up shop in Mexico, closer to major U.S. markets. In this issue brief, fellow David Gantz explains the pressures behind this investment and the likely impacts on the North American economy.

This brief demonstrates that the stories and voices of people on the move should be noticed and reflected, and that people on the move should have a leading say regarding the contexts and conditions that affect them, as well as how they are represented.

Migration can expose women and girls to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in countries of transit and destination. SGBV has several repercussions on the physical, psychosocial, and economic well-being of those who experience it. In addition, migrant women can also experience significant sexual and reproductive health (SRH) problems due to inadequate access to care, harsh circumstances during their migratory journey, stigma, lack of information on support services, and lack of coordination between civil society and institutional structures.

The phenomena of Syrian refugee women marrying Egyptian men whom they barely know soon after their arrival has drawn the attention of media and advocacy groups. Such marriages are often facilitated through marriage brokers, social media, and religious groups. In contrast to existing narratives that view this type of marriage as exploitative, the author demonstrates how the concept of “marriage for refuge” offers a better lens through which to analyze the relationship between forced migration and marriage.

The number of migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border far exceeds the immigration system’s capacity, and the flow is not stopping. In this brief, visiting scholar Katia Adimora talks to experts in the field about what the real issues are and how best to solve them.

Brain diseases have profound impacts on our health, our communities and the economy. In this brief, fellow Harris A. Eyre explains why Texas needs to establish a state research institute to tackle a growing brain health crisis.