Research Library

Conservative Christian activists and officials in several states have proposed or implemented laws and policies that weaken church-state separation and promote Christianity in public schools. Education policy must protect church-state separation and address the need for students to access accurate and balanced information about the many religions they will encounter in an increasingly diverse society, writes nonresident scholar David R. Brockman.

Two specific issues — the Russia-Ukraine war and the Israel-Hamas war — have propelled foreign policy to the forefront of this year’s election. Both conflicts are ongoing and have severely tested Biden and his foreign policy team, and ahead of November, Biden has little room for error.

Attempts to undermine church-state separation in Texas reached a crescendo in 2023, writes nonresident scholar David R. Brockman. In this paper, he explores how three high-profile bills introduced during the state’s 88th legislative session threatened to tear down the wall between church and state.

President Biden’s announcement that the U.S. is preparing to open a maritime corridor to Gaza highlights a deteriorating relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and attempts to address voter concerns ahead of the November election.

Yemen’s Houthi have mounted a selective counter-shipping campaign in the Red Sea that has disrupted global trade between Asia and Europe. In a new issue brief, fellow Jim Krane describes how the attacks have triggered major shipping delays and expenses for firms based in countries friendly to Israel — effectively acting as economic sanctions and demonstrating the power of a non-state actor to undermine global norms around freedom of navigation.

Turkey currently hosts nearly 4 million refugees — predominantly Syrians who have fled their country’s civil war. Ensuring adequate legal protection for those seeking asylum and improving the capacity of Turkish institutions and civil society organizations to serve those in need is vital. This policy brief, based on a conversation with Refugee Solidarity Network founder and director Zaid Hydari, explains how domestic and international bodies can support the many refugees in Turkey.

In a new brief, contributing expert Robert Barron explores the first phase of the Israel-Hamas war and what stakeholders must consider for a viable pathway to peace.

In a new commentary, fellow Joe Barnes lays out the latest developments in the Israel-Hamas war, including President Joe Biden’s careful response to attacks by Iran-backed groups in the region.

Hama's Oct. 7 attack on Israel threatens to undermine a key pillar of Saudi Arabia’s foreign and domestic agenda: the “de-risking” of the region, writes fellow Kristian Coates Ulrichsen.

The surprise attack on Israel by the militant group Hamas has raised a number of critical questions related to geopolitics, aid, energy, and other global affairs. Baker Institute fellows and scholars are continuing to provide expert analysis on the conflict.