Brookings - Quality. Independence. Impact.

The postal network as economic infrastructure: Evidence from rural small businesses

Elena Patel

January 26, 2026

U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (3)

What is a government shutdown?

David Wessel

January 29, 2026

ICE expansion has outpaced accountability. What are the remedies?

Rashawn Ray, Gabriel R. Sanchez

January 26, 2026

Iran’s uprising: What’s the endgame?

Aslı Aydıntaşbaş, Mara Karlin, Suzanne Maloney

January 22, 2026

What will 2026 bring for US migration policy?

Marcela Escobari

January 14, 2026

Advancing ideas that matter

Brookings’ scholarly research educates the public and informs decisionmakers on complex policy challenges.

Learn about our programs

A printed document with charts on top of an open laptop.

Quality research

We uphold the highest standards of research quality and professional ethics, bringing evidence-based approaches to complex policy challenges that span the breadth and depth of our scholars’ expertise.

Explore our work

Brookings expert Landry Signe' at the World Bank/IMF Spring meetings in April 2024

Independent analysis

We bring together leading experts in government, academia, and beyond to provide independent, nonpartisan research and analysis on the most important issues in the world.

Meet our scholars

Lasting impact

Brookings has been at the forefront of public policy for over 100 years, providing data and insights to inform critical decisions during some of the most important inflection points in recent history.

Read about our history

Global Security

US President Donald Trump (L) and China's President Xi Jinping arrive for talks at the Gimhae Air Base, located next to the Gimhae International Airport in Busan on October 30, 2025.

Democracy, Conflict, & Governance Three potential pathways for US-China relations under Trump

Ryan Hass

Iranians wave national flags during the funerals of security forces personnel killed in recent protests in Tehran on January 14, 2026.

Iran Is Iran on the brink of change?

Aslı Aydıntaşbaş, Jeffrey Feltman, Sharan Grewal, Steven Heydemann, Mara Karlin, Michael E. O’Hanlon, Shibley Telhami +2 more

Pro-government supporters attend a rally a day after the capture of Nicolas Maduro by US forces on January 4, 2026 in Caracas, Venezuela.

Venezuela The global implications of the US military operation in Venezuela

Scott R. Anderson, Sarah A. Binder, Richard C. Bush, Vanda Felbab-Brown, Daniel S. Hamilton, Kari Heerman, Jonathan Katz, Patricia M. Kim, Suzanne Maloney, Steven Pifer, Dafna H. Rand, Douglas A. Rediker, Melanie W. Sisson, Constanze Stelzenmüller, Andrew Yeo +10 more

A demonstrator shouts slogans during a march in Mexico City on January 10, 2026, in support of deposed Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores and against a possible US intervention in Mexico.

Mexico How could the Mexican government respond to US military actions?

Vanda Felbab-Brown

See more on Global Security

U.S. Economy

US President Donald Trump (R) and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (L) speak to the press after agreeing on a trade deal between the two economies following their meeting, in Turnberry south west Scotland on July 27, 2025, on the third day of his visit to the country, since his second tenure as President began.

U.S. Trade Policy What is Trump’s ‘America First’ trade policy agenda?

Kari Heerman

A welder is welding steel on a steel roof truss. Working at height equipment. Fall arrestor device for worker with hooks for safety body harness. Worker in construction site.

Infrastructure Exploring and expanding skills development across the built environment

Joseph W. Kane

A US Flag pictured with a US Visa document and US Permanent Resident Card.

Immigrants & Immigration Macroeconomic implications of immigration flows in 2025 and 2026: January 2026 update

Wendy Edelberg, Stan Veuger, Tara Watson

Washington, US, March 2023: flags of the Federal Reserve and the United States waving with the Eccles Building in the background.

Federal Reserve Why is the Federal Reserve independent, and what does that mean in practice?

David Wessel

See more on U.S. Economy

Foresight Africa

Africa Foresight Africa 2026

Global Trade Can zero-tariff policy rebalance China-Africa trade?

Yun Sun

Sudan & South Sudan Ending Sudan’s civil war: A roadmap to peace and reconciliation

John Mukum Mbaku

U.S. Foreign Policy Can Africa benefit from ‘America First’ foreign policy?

Witney Schneidman

See more from Foresight Africa

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

The image is of the exterior of an impression of a building. People and figures can be seen inside and outside of the building. There are clouds of network connections all around the building and inside. It relates to the digital networked workplace.

Artificial Intelligence Measuring US workers’ capacity to adapt to AI-driven job displacement

Sam Manning, Tomás Aguirre, Mark Muro, Shriya Methkupally

Digital world map illustrating global AI governance and transparency reporting frameworks.

Technology Policy & Regulation The HAIP Reporting Framework: Its value in global AI governance and recommendations for the future

Miranda Bogen, Cameron F. Kerry, Karen Kornbluh, Joshua P. Meltzer, Marcel Mir Teijeiro, Enkhjin Munkhbayar, Nitya Nadgir, Elham Tabassi, Brooke Tanner, Valerie Wirtschafter +5 more

Leader of the Department of Government Efficiency Elon Musk wears a shirt that says "Tech Support" as he speaks during the first cabinet meeting of U.S. President Donald Trump's second term in the Cabinet Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 26, 2025.

U.S. Government & Politics How DOGE’s modernization mission may have inadvertently undermined federal AI adoption

Valerie Wirtschafter

Children use tablets while sitting at desks in a classroom

Artificial Intelligence A new direction for students in an AI world: Prosper, prepare, protect

Mary Burns, Rebecca Winthrop, Natasha Luther, Emma Venetis, Rida Karim

See more on Artificial Intelligence

Upcoming Events

Upcoming Event

February 02

2026

Cities & Communities Creating high-opportunity neighborhoods

Online only

Monday, 12:00 pm - 1:10 pm EST

Upcoming Event

February 04

2026

Technology Policy & Regulation The future of communications regulation with FCC Commissioner Olivia Trusty

The Brookings Institution, Washington D.C.

Wednesday, 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm EST

Upcoming Event

February 05

2026

Economic Security & Mobility Pathways to reduce child poverty: Impacts of federal tax credits

The Brookings Institution, Washington D.C.

Thursday, 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm EST

See all events

Advancing ideas that matter

Brookings’ scholarly research educates the public and informs decisionmakers on complex policy challenges.

Quality research

Independent analysis

Lasting impact

Global Security

U.S. Economy

Brookings Brief

Brookings Podcast Network

Foresight Africa

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Upcoming Events