Think tank: Difference between revisions

A think tank, also known as a policy institute, is an organization dedicated to research and advocacy on various subjects, including social policy, political strategy, economics, military affairs, technology, and culture.  

While most think tanks operate as non-profit entities, some function as semi-autonomous government agencies, and others are linked to specific political parties, businesses, or the military.<ref>1. Fang, Lee (15 September 2021). "Intelligence Contract Funneled to Pro-War Think Tank Establishment". The Intercept. Archived from the original on 6 October 2021. Retrieved 9 October 2021. </ref> Funding for these institutions typically comes from individual donations, although many also receive government grants.<ref>McGann, James G.; Weaver, Robert Kent (1 January 2002). Think Tanks and Civil Societies: Catalysts for Ideas and Action. Transaction Publishers. p. 51. ISBN 978-1-4128-3989-1. </ref>

Think tanks generate articles and studies, and may also create policy recommendations on certain issues. These outputs are utilized by governments, corporations, media outlets, social movements, and other interest groups.<ref>Fischer, Frank; Miller, Gerald J. (21 December 2006). "Public Policy Analysis and Think Tanks, by Diane Stone". Handbook of Public Policy Analysis: Theory, Politics, and Methods. CRC Press. pp. 149–157. ISBN 978-1-4200-1700-7. </ref> The spectrum of think tanks varies greatly—from those engaged in rigorous academic research to those that are explicitly ideological and advocate for specific policies, exhibiting a range of research quality. Recent think tanks have increasingly leaned toward ideological agendas.<ref>Fischer, Frank; Miller, Gerald J. (21 December 2006). "Public Policy Analysis and Think Tanks, by Diane Stone". Handbook of Public Policy Analysis: Theory, Politics, and Methods. CRC Press. pp. 149–157. ISBN 978-1-4200-1700-7. </ref>

The modern think tank phenomenon emerged in some European countries during the19th and early20th centuries, initially focusing on the economic challenges brought by industrialization and urbanization.<ref>McGann, James. "Think Tanks and the Transnationalization of Foreign Policy". Foreign Policy Research Institute. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. </ref> The establishment of many American and Western think tanks during the Cold War was instrumental in shaping Cold War policies. Since 1991, there has been a rise in think tanks in non-Western regions, with over half of the current think tanks founded after 1980.<ref>McGann, James. "Think Tanks and the Transnationalization of Foreign Policy". Foreign Policy Research Institute. Archived from the original on October 20 2024.</ref> Today, there are more than11,000 think tanks globally.<ref>G. McGann, James (28 January 2022). "2020 Global Go To Think Tank Index Report". University of Pennsylvania. Archived from the original on 22 May 2021. Retrieved October 20, 2024 </ref>

Think tanks differ based on ideological leanings, funding sources, focus areas, and intended audiences.<ref>Singer, Peter (13 August 2010). "Washington's Think Tanks: Factories to Call Our Own". the Brookings Institution. Archived from the original on 21 August 2010.</ref> In the U.S., for example, some donors may seek to influence parliamentary votes or shape public opinion, while others may aim to position themselves or funded experts for future government roles or advocate for particular research areas. Think tanks can be classified into several types, such as independent, quasi-independent, government-affiliated, quasi-governmental, university-affiliated, political-party-affiliated, or corporate-affiliated.<ref>Singer, Peter (13 August 2010). "Washington's Think Tanks: Factories to Call Our Own". the Brookings Institution. Archived from the original on 21 August 2010.</ref>

A growing trend due to globalization is the collaboration among policy institutes from different countries. For instance, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace has offices in Washington, D.C., Beijing, Beirut, Brussels, and previously in Moscow (which closed in April2022). The Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program (TTCSP) at the University of Pennsylvania, led by James McGann, evaluates and ranks policy institutes worldwide across various categories, releasing their findings in the Global Go-To Think Tanks index, though this evaluation method has faced criticism from some scholars.<ref>McGann, James G (2020). "2020 Global Go To Think Tanks Index Report". University of Pennsylvania ScholarlyCommons. Archived from the original on 22 May 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2022.</ref>

Think tanks engage with the public by hosting conferences that may be broadcasted, encouraging scholars to present public lectures, testifying in government committee hearings, publishing and distributing various types of publications, creating mailing lists for new releases, and utilizing social media.They may also seek to influence policy behind the scenes by placing members in bureaucratic roles, appointing members to political advisory boards, inviting decision-makers to their events, employing former policymakers, or conducting studies for policymakers.<ref>Buldioski, Goran. "Mirror, mirror on the wall... tell me who is the best think tank in the world?". Goran's Musings. Archived from the original on 13 January 2012. Retrieved  October 20, 2011. </ref>

Think tanks can be understood through social theory frameworks. Plehwe suggests that they function as knowledge brokers within networks that include academic collaborations and connections with media, political entities, and corporate funders, facilitating the formation of discourse coalitions with shared goals—such as the deregulatory changes in industries like trucking, airlines, and telecommunications in the1970s.<ref>Plehwe, Dieter (18 December 2015), "The politics of policy think-tanks: organizing expertise, legitimacy and counter-expertise in policy networks", Handbook of Critical Policy Studies, Edward Elgar Publishing, pp. 358–379, ISBN 978-1-78347-235-2, retrieved  October 20, 2024</ref>

Elite theory examines how elites might influence think tank operations and potentially circumvent traditional political processes. This perspective analyzes the social backgrounds and values of think tank personnel. However, Pautz critiques this view for overlooking the diversity of thought present in think tanks and minimizing the potential impact of ideas.<ref>Pautz, Hartwig (2011). "Revisiting the think-tank phenomenon". Public Policy and Administration. 26 (4): 419–435. doi:10.1177/0952076710378328. ISSN 0952-0767. </ref>

Corporate, military, and political interests sometimes establish think tanks or advocacy organizations to promote their agendas.<ref>Lipton, Eric; Williams, Brooke (7 August 2016). "Researchers or Corporate Allies? Think Tanks Blur the Line; Think tanks are seen as independent, but their scholars often push donors' agendas, amplifying a culture of corporate influence in Washington". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 11 July 2019. Retrieved October 20 2024.</ref> For instance, the Advancement of Sound Science Coalition was created in the mid-1990s to counter research linking second-hand smoke to cancer. Military contractors may allocate funds to support pro-war think tanks. Despite being portrayed as impartial experts, many think tank "specialists" often represent specific ideological viewpoints.<ref>"The Incredible Shrinking Think Tank". FAIR. 22 February 1999. Archived from the original on 21 September 2012. Retrieved October 20 2024.</ref>