Interhemispheric Resource Center

The Interhemispheric Resource Center (hereinafter IRC) was a progressive think tank that researched and published on US foreign policy, Latin America and the US-Mexico border region. It was founded in 1979 in Albuquerque, NM, by Debra Preusch, Tom Barry, and Beth Wood. The IRC's name changed several times, largely reflecting changes in its scope of focus; a first iteration was New Mexico People and Energy and the final title was International Relations Center. The IRC's research, analyses, and publications sought to bridge the gap between academic research and popular education. The IRC aimed to inform policymaking circles with their progressive agenda, to contribute to an informed citizenry, and to provide activists with analytical tools to influence policy and create social change. The IRC relied heavily on its three founders during its early years. However, in 1988 it underwent a major transition when the Board of Directors was expanded and began to meet annually. In 1991 the Executive Committee was established as a personnel committee advising the Executive Director on staff communication and evaluations, proposing candidates for the Board of Directors, and informing organizational decisions between annual board meetings. In 1996 founders Debra Preusch and Tom Barry as well as full-time staff member Harry Browne moved to Pinos Altos, near Silver City, New Mexico.The IRC distributed its books and reports to academics, community activists, religious workers, journalists, students, and policy makers. Their most prominent publications include newsletters such as the Americas Program, BIOS, Borderlines, Democracy Backgrounder, Foreign Policy in Focus, Group Watch, websites such as Right Web, and books on U.S. foreign policy, Mexico and Central America. In 2007, the IRC transferred the Americas Program and the Global Good Neighbor Initiative to the Center for International Policy. In 2008, the IRC transferred Right Web and Foreign Policy in Focus to the Institute for Policy Studies. While its staff and writers remained involved in some of these projects, IRC closed its doors.

From the description of Interhemispheric Resource Center records, 1966-2008. (University of New Mexico-Main Campus). WorldCat record id: 743223530

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