Studies Program
The Studies Program is the research arm of Babel Institute. It is driven by Fellows — scholars and young professionals — who examine the structural challenges shaping their generation. Organized into four regional programs—United States, Latin America, Europe, and Africa—the Studies Program produces research that is rigorous, policy-oriented, and informed by the realities young people face.
Our objective is to generate analysis that informs debates on governance, security, the economy, and social policy, while ensuring youth perspectives are integral to those discussions.
Core Areas of Work
Topics
Each regional program identifies and pursues a focused set of research priorities, from education reform and housing insecurity in the United States to governance and employment in Africa, cartel violence in Latin America, and the implications of the war in Ukraine for European youth.
Projects
Research is advanced through structured projects that apply comparative methods, case studies, and field-based insights. Projects yield outputs that are designed to influence policy conversations at national, regional, and global levels.
Fellows
Fellows are the foundation of the Studies Program. As scholars and young professionals, they conduct original research, mentor interns, and contribute expertise across Babel Institute’s initiatives.
Publications
Findings are disseminated through policy briefs, essays, and reports that translate research into concrete policy recommendations.
United States Studies
Analyzes how mental health, education, gun violence, housing, and economic insecurity affect young Americans, and develops policy-driven research on how institutions can better respond to these challenges.
Latin America Studies
Studies migration, democracy, urban violence, climate pressures, and economic opportunity, while producing research that elevates the role of youth in reshaping political and social outcomes.
Europe Studies
Evaluates the consequences of the war in Ukraine, the rise of populism, refugee integration, and climate transition, generating insights into how these forces shape Europe’s political, economic, and generational landscape.
Africa Studies
Assesses governance, education, employment, food security, and climate resilience, generating analysis that highlights both risks and opportunities for the continent’s youth and diaspora.