A wave of universal basic income materials: some cautious reflections favoring a negative income tax, a first set of AEI quantitative cost estimates, calls for practical testing, a plea for Silicon Valley to stop advocating in favor of UBIs, Brooking’s piece on universality vs targeting (largely drawing from the Bank’s ASPIRE database), and Shanta’s renewed advocacy for a natural resource revenues-based UBI.

Whether targeted or not, Blattman and colleagues set out a research agenda for cash transfers in the graduation agenda. Speaking of jobs, a new evaluation shows large and positive impacts of a key NYC’s youth employment program.

More on the US: a study on chronic poverty estimates that 9 million people spend half their lives from birth through age 17 living in poverty, while a report by USDA finds that 1 out of 4 Americans participate in a food assistance program at some point in the year.

Bonus on food security: a measurement article on caloric vs experiential food security indicators (with an application to India) and IFPRI’s flagship GNR exploring food security and nutrition in the urbanization process.

Some thematic research featuring the new issue of IPC’s magazine devoted to social protection and women empowerment, and an interesting article showing that education enhances disaster preparedness (by improving risk perception and social capital).

… and some regional materials, with an OECD strategic report on social protection in Eastern Africa (including examining mega trends till 2065) and the mild reduction in perceived inequality in Latin America.