Policy Areas

The Institute is the hub for interdisciplinary teaching, scholarship, and general interest

Some of the questions BIPP faculty associates ask in each area are listed below.

	Aging: What factors impact retirement decisions? How does policy affect the quality of life for seniors? What are the long-term implications for local, state, and federal programs of the aging of the population?
	Community-Based Efforts What are the needs of the local communities? How can local institutions best serve those needs? How can different institutions support communities
	Education What is the value of a liberal arts education? How should schools be funded? What are the effects of No Child Left Behind?
	Environment/Marcellus Shale What is the economic impact of Shale development on Pennsylvania towns? Should there be a severance tax?
	Labor/Migration/Immigration How has the economic downturn affected international immigration flows? How does moving to another place in the United States affect wages and employment?
	Health and Healthcare What features of neighborhoods have the biggest impact childhood obesity rates? What factors predict adolescent risk-taking behavior? What is the impact of public funding of healthcare?
	History of Policy How has anti-trust regulation changed in the United States?
	International Issues Do regional trade agreements increase trade or simply divert trade to within the block? Does democracy promote trade? What is the organizational structure of terrorism?
	Macroeconomy Should we stimulate the economy in the short run? How can we address the long run debt problem?
	Non-Profits What is the best organizational structure for a small non-profit in Haiti? Do all non-profit hospitals merit their tax-free status?
	Philosophical bases of policy How much should society value market efficiency versus equality? How can one place a value on a human life in making decisions about environmental protections?
	Policy processes How does the Tea Party fit within the social movement theory?
	Political Polling What is the best way to elicit opinion about public policy? How does polling affect the framing of the policy debate?
	Taxation and Public Spending What is the appropriate level of taxation for the United States? How should we prioritize spending options? Should education be funded by property taxes?