About PRA

Who We Are:

Founded in 1981, Political Research Associates works to facilitate public understanding of the threat posed to human rights by oppressive and authoritarian movements and trends in the United States.

Through our research and publications, and as a national resource and support center for activists, journalists and others, PRA helps to build the movement for progressive social change and promotes democratic values and principles. In addition, PRA is the premier national organization studying the full spectrum of the US Political Right - from ultraconservatives in the electoral arena to paramilitary organizations to supremacist groups.

"PRA provides those of us working on the front lines of social justice struggles with the facts we need to fight. Their work is invaluable to the progressive movement in this country." --Anne Braden Southern Organizing Committee, Louisville, KY

Mission Statement:

Political Research Associates is a progressive think tank devoted to supporting movements that are building a more just and inclusive democratic society. We expose movements, institutions, and ideologies that undermine human rights.

Political Research Associates seeks to advance progressive thinking and action by providing research-based information, analysis, and referrals.

Challenging Right-Wing Attacks on Human Rights:

While attacks on human rights can come from any direction, it is the political Right that often capitalizes on today’s hectic information flow by offering clever slogans that oversimplify complex public policy issues. Through skillful marketing the Right uses misleading terms such as "parental rights" and "personal responsibility" to oppose movements and organizations that promote tolerance and equality. Whether it is immigrants, gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgendered people, ethnic minorities or the poor, the Right routinely uses scapegoating to pursue their agenda - an agenda that is served by the public’s desire for quick-fix solutions.

What is truly needed to address the complex issues we face in this country is fair and accurate analysis of complex issues. By looking beneath the sound-bites and slogans utilized by the Right, Political Research Associates enables a thorough inspection of the issues and facilitates awareness of the true goals and agenda of specific right-wing leaders, organizations and movements. By responding to specific information requests and through production of special reports and resource kits, PRA helps the media, activists and the general public understand and challenge the Right. Truly a behind-the-scenes-player, PRA is essential to the progressive movement by supporting those on the front lines who spend much of their energy opposing well designed and fully funded right-wing attacks on democracy, diversity and pluralism.

What we can do for you :

PRA is an essential resource for activists, organizers, journalists, community groups, educators—anyone needing accurate, up-to-date information on the political Right. Our resources include:

• Printed Publications. PRA produces a wide variety of printed matter available by mail. Special series include:

• Activist Resource Kits: PRA has published comprehensive resource kits designed to defend against a particularly focused right-wing attack. These resource kits include Defending Public Education, Defending Reproductive Rights, Defending Immigrant Rights, Defending Justice, and Defending Democracy.

• The Public Eye: Four times a year PRA publishes The Public Eye, our signature magazine. Each issue of The Public Eye provides thorough and insightful reports on specific and current movements or trends within the US political Right.

• Special Reports: PRA produces timely reports on specific right-wing movements or strategies. Past reports include Calculated Compassion, a detail of the Right’s attack on gays and lesbians through the "Ex-Gay" movement, Decades of Distortion, an account of the Right’s strategy to scapegoat welfare recipients, and The Pioneer Institute, Privatizing the Common Wealth, a profile of a state-level conservative think tank.

• www.publiceye.org: Our website provides information, resources and links to other organizations. Users can search our site for available resources, order PRA materials online and find links to dozens of other groups – both right-wing and progressive. [Website credits]

• Speakers: PRA provides speakers for conferences, in-service trainings, community organizations and other institutions. Our researchers often appear on panels and lead discussions that address a range of issues from The Christian Right and Dominionism, Left and Right Conspiracy Theories, the conservative backlash against women’s, LGBT, and human rights, or the encroahment conservative politics into communities of color.

• Information Requests: Knowledgeable PRA staff are on hand to answer inquiries, offer referrals and assemble customized information packets to meet your specific needs. PRA is a “rapid responder” to requests from journalists, activists, researchers and others who need to understand a particular political right-wing movement, leader or trend.

PRA is funded entirely from non-governmental sources. Foundation grants, contributions from individuals, and income from the sale of our materials provide all of our financing. Contributions to PRA are tax-deductible.

Schedule of Functional Expenses
Year Ending December 31, 2004