Institute for Regional Studies of the Californias

Description of IRSC

The Institute for Regional Studies of the Californias (IRSC) provides San Diego State University with a forum for the investigation, discussion, and dissemination of information about the United States-Mexican border region. The Institute focuses on the border region of California and Baja California and is also concerned with important issues of the United States-Mexican interface and monitors border regions elsewhere in the world.

Created in 1983, the Institute has undertaken multidisciplinary applied research projects on important regional concerns including transborder environmental issues, policy perspectives of the California-Mexico relationship, quality of life, and sustainable development. IRSC also plays an active role in Mexico-related professional organizations and is frequently consulted on transborder issues by the media, nongovernmental organizations, the public sector, and other border stakeholders.

Other Institute activities include conducting binational symposia; improving communication between public and private sector representatives on both sides of the border; serving as a clearinghouse for information on transborder events, issues, and institutions; and encouraging the effective use of educational resources among the region's universities. The Institute serves as a major link between SDSU and Mexican institutions.

IRSC has an ongoing publications program that includes books, monographs, and shorter items. Many titles are co-published with SDSU Press.

IRSC has under way major applied research projects on border environmental issues and policy, regional economic issues, and transborder planning issues. IRSC serves as the SDSU link to the Southwest Consortium for Environmental Research and Policy, a congressionally established consortium of Mexican and U.S. universities for research and policy studies on environmental issues of the border.

Last update Jan 9, 2007