Our Mission
The Paul Douglas Institute is a nonpartisan student-run public policy think tank.
Based at the University of Chicago, the Paul Douglas Institute is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, student-run public policy think tank. Inspired by the life and work of professor and Senator Paul H. Douglas, we seek to celebrate the value of public service, and channel public policy interest on campus into evidence-based, collaboration-oriented, and solution-minded projects.
To this end, we offer technical assistance, produce rigorous social science research, and build bridges on policy issues. We use a multidisciplinary approach that is free from political affiliation, and often work with legislators and civic organizations. We welcome both research commissions and partnerships.
Our Principles
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Policy Principles
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Towards Protection to the Underserved + Disenfranchised
In the legacy of Paul Douglas, we are committed to understanding how policy can be more committed to the most underserved, more socially just, and fully committed to human dignity.
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Towards Common Goals
We are committed to understanding how policy creation can be more participatory, collaborative, and consensus-based.
Towards Ethics + Democracy
We are committed to governance that is fully committed to democratic freedoms, transparent, accountable, and participatory.
Research Principles
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Non-Partisanship
We are committed to research free from partisanship and political affiliation.
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Rigorous + Open Inquiry
We are committed to fostering the University of Chicago commitment to free expression, dialogue, and open-minded questioning.
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Organizational Principles
Student-Leadership
We are committed to empowering student leadership and the research curiosities of our members.
Education
We are committed to learning from faculty and practitioners to provide our members with the tools to conduct rigorous policy research and examine the ethical considerations of policy.
Community
We are committed to building a warm, safe, and welcoming community founded on commitments to mutual respect, a diversity of perspectives, and substantive debate. We are dedicated to ensuring that our members are proud of their work.
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Bridge-Building
We are committed to building bridges between stakeholders, academia, practitioners, and communities.
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Our History
In 2017, our institute began when members of the University of Chicago Democracy Initiative (UCDI) saw an opportunity for students to make a real impact in the public discourse through research. UCDI is a civic organization on campus dedicated to improving the state of American democracy, and houses several initiatives including student political education, voter registration events, and the Citizen Bulletin, a nonpartisan weekly newsletter detailing the actions of local, state, and nationally-elected officials.
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In 2018, PDI became a federally registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
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In 2019, PDI co-founded the Global Student Policy Alliance, a collective of student-run think tanks and policy organizations from around the world.
Today, PDI is comprised of 90 students who are actively involved in the organization as either researchers, leaders, or advisors.
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Thus far, the organization has completed over 20 policy projects, and worked with governments, nonprofits, and legislators in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, Washington, D.C., Montgomery County, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Cambridge, U.K.
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