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Think Again: How American Think Tanks Compete in the Marketplace of Ideas

Presentation to the Israel Democracy Institute International Conference “What Do Think Tanks Do?” May 15, 2011 Donald Abelson The University of Western Ontario. Think Again: How American Think Tanks Compete in the Marketplace of Ideas. What are Think Tanks?.

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Think Again: How American Think Tanks Compete in the Marketplace of Ideas

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  1. Presentation to the Israel Democracy Institute International Conference “What Do Think Tanks Do?” May 15, 2011 Donald Abelson The University of Western Ontario Think Again:How American Think Tanks Competein the Marketplace of Ideas

  2. What are Think Tanks? Scholars who study think tanks have been unable to reach a consensus on how to define these organizations. There are some identifiable characteristics: • Not for profit • Tax-exempt • Non-partisan (not to be confused with non-ideological) • Research -oriented, with a commitment to shaping public opinion and policy

  3. Common Types of Think Tanks In the absence of an agreed-upon definition, scholars in the field have established classifications to account for the diverse nature of the think tank community (McGann and Weaver, Stone, Abelson, etc…) • Universities without students –policy research • Government Contractors/Specialists • Advocacy Think Tanks Although it is not always easy to classify think tanks, scholars generally agree that the trend since the early 1970s has been toward the creation of advocacy think tanks that combine policy research with aggressive political advocacy.

  4. The Evolution ofAmerican Think Tanks:Philanthropy & Policy Expertise Andrew Carnegie Robert Brookings Herbert Hoover

  5. The First Generation of American Think Tanks The Brookings Institution The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

  6. Government Contractors The Rand Corporation The Urban Institute

  7. The Rise of Advocacy Think Tanks Edwin Feulner The Heritage Foundation Paul Weyrich

  8. The Pendulum Begins to Swing From Policy Research to Political Advocacy: Combining Policy Research with aggressive marketing Quick Response Policy Research-Timely & Policy Relevant Emphasis on Media Exposure It’s all about the numbers Institutional & Private Interests National or Public Interest?

  9. An Overview of American Think Tanks

  10. Competing in theMarketplace of Ideas Think tanks vary enormously in terms of size, financial resources, areas of specialization, and research programs, but they share in common a desire to influence public opinion and public policy. Target Audiences/Stakeholders: • Policy-Makers (Executive and Legislative Branches); They also target bureaucratic departments and agencies responsible for foreign and defense policy (State Department, Department of Defense, National Security Council, etc…) • Media • Academics • Corporations • The Public

  11. Channels of Influence:How do Think Tanks Communicate Their Ideas? • Publications –Books, policy briefs, opinion magazines • Media commentaries • Blogs- websites • Congressional Testimony • Seminars; Conferences; Workshops • Liaison Offices with Congress

  12. Understanding the Policy-Making Process Think Tanks convey ideas to policy-makers at different stages of the policy-making process. To achieve influence, think tanks often need to present the right ideas to the right people at the right time.

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