From Source Watch
A think tank (also called a policy institute) is an organization, institute, corporation, or group that conducts research and engages in advocacy in public policy.[1] Many think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax exempt status. While many think tanks are funded by governments, interest groups, or businesses, some think tanks also derive income from consulting or research work related to their mandate.[2] In some cases, think tanks are little more than public relations fronts, usually headquartered in state or national seats of government and generating self-serving scholarship that serves the advocacy goals of their industry sponsors.
To be sure, some think tanks are more legitimate than that. Private funding does not necessarily make a researcher a shill, and some think-tanks produce worthwhile public policy research. In general, however, research from think tanks is ideologically driven in accordance with the interests of its funders.
“We’ve got think tanks the way other towns have firehouses,” Washington Post columnist Joel Achenbach says. “This is a thoughtful town. A friend of mine worked at a think tank temporarily and the director told him when he entered, ‘We are white men between the ages of 50 and 55, and we have no place else to go.'”
“In 1970, Supreme Court Justice Lewis Powell wrote a fateful memo to the National Chamber of Commerce saying that all of our best students are becoming anti-business because of the Vietnam War, and that we needed to do something about it. Powell’s agenda included getting wealthy conservatives to set up professorships, setting up institutes on and off campus where intellectuals would write books from a conservative business perspective, and setting up think tanks. He outlined the whole thing in 1970. They set up the Heritage Foundation in 1973, and the Manhattan Institute after that. There are many others, including the American Enterprise Institute and the Hoover Institute at Stanford, which date from the 1940s.” –George Lakoff [1]
Think tanks are funded primarily by large businesses and major foundations. They devise and promote policies that shape the lives of everyday Americans: Social Security privatization, tax and investment laws, regulation of everything from oil to the Internet. They supply experts to testify on Capitol Hill, write articles for the op-ed pages of newspapers, and appear as TV commentators. They advise presidential aspirants and lead orientation seminars to train incoming members of Congress.
Think tanks may have a decided political leaning. There are twice as many conservative think tanks as liberal ones, and the conservative ones generally have more money. One of the important functions of think tanks is to provide a way for business interests to promote their ideas or to support economic and sociological research not taking place elsewhere that they feel may turn out in their favor. Conservative think tanks also offer donors an opportunity to support conservative policies outside academia, which during the 1960s and 1970s was accused of having a strong “collectivist” bias.
“Modern think tanks are nonprofit, tax-exempt, political idea factories where donations can be as big as the donor’s checkbook and are seldom publicized,” notes Tom Brazaitis, writing for the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “Technology companies give to think tanks that promote open access to the internet. Wall Street firms donate to think tanks that espouse private investment of retirement funds.” So much money now flows in, that the top 20 conservative think tanks now spend more money than all of the “soft money” contributions to the Republican party.
In the wake of the re-election of George W. Bush in 2004 Democratic-inclined supporters sought to bolster funding for centre-left think tanks. “Scores of the US’s richest people have pledged $1 million or more towards a new attempt to reinvigorate the American left and counter the powerful Republican political machine,” writes David Teather in The GUardian (UK). “The money will be funnelled through an organisation called the Democracy Alliance which, according to a report in the Washington Post, will help fund a network of thinktanks and advocacy groups seeking to halt the shift to the cultural and political right.” Democratic strategist Rob Stein, who organized the effort, thinks “there is a big imbalance in the amount of cash that goes into left and rightwing thinktanks. Over the past two years, he said, think tanks pushing the conservative agenda had received $295 million, while leftwing institutions were given just $75 million.” [2]
A think tank’s resident experts carry titles such as “senior fellow” or “adjunct scholar,” but this does not necessarily mean that they possess an academic degree in their area of claimed expertise. Outside funding can corrupt the integrity of academic institutions. The same corrupting influences affect think tanks, only more so.
Think tanks are like universities minus the students and minus the systems of peer review and other mechanisms that academia uses to promote diversity of thought. Real academics are expected to conduct their research first and draw their conclusions second, but this process is often reversed at most policy-driven think tanks. As writer Jonathan Rowe has observed, the term “think” tanks is a misnomer. His comment was directed at the conservative Heritage Foundation, but it applies equally well to many other think tanks, regardless of ideology: “They don’t think; they justify.”
LIST OF THINK TANKS
Source: http://www.hks.harvard.edu/library/research/guides/think-tanks-directory.htm
- American Enterprise Institute
- American Foreign Policy Council
- Ash Center for Democratic Governance & Innovation – Harvard Kennedy School
- Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs (Ashland University, Ohio)
- The Aspen Institute
- APPAM – The Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management
- Belfer Center for Science & International Affairs– Harvard Kennedy School
- Brookings Institution
- BRIE – The Berkeley Roundtable on the International Economy (University of California, Berkeley)
- Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs
- Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
- Carr Center for Human Rights Policy– Harvard Kennedy School
- The Carter Center (Emory University)
- Cascade Policy Institute
- Cato Institute
- Center for International Development– Harvard Kennedy School
- Center for a New American Security
- Center for Public Leadership– Harvard Kennedy School
- Center for an Urban Future
- Center for American Women and Politics (Rutgers University)
- Center for Army Lessons Learned
- Center for Civil-Military Relations
- Center for Comparative Immigration Studies (University of California at San Diego)
- Center for Complex Operations
- Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies (American University)
- Center for Democracy and Technology
- Center for Economic Policy and Research
- Center for Global Development
- Center for Health Decision Science– Harvard School of Public Health
- Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (University of Maryland)
- Center for International and Security Studies at Maryland (University of Maryland)
- Center for International Develpment– Harvard Kennedy School
- Center for International Earth Science Information Network (Columbia University)
- Center for International Trade and Security (University of Georgia)
- Center for Law and Social Policy
- The Center for National Policy
- Center for New American Security
- Center for Public Integrity
- Center for Public Leadership– Harvard Kennedy School
- Center for Public Policy & Administration (University of Utah)
- Center for Public Policy Priorities
- Center for Reproductive Rights
- Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments
- Center for Strategic and International Studies
- Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
- Centre for Development & Population Activities
- The Century Foundation
- Committee for Economic Development
- Commonwealth Institute
- Competitive Enterprise Institute
- Council on Foreign Relations
- Democratic Leadership Council
- Demos
- Eagleton Institute of Politics (Rutgers University)
- East- West Center
- Economic Policy Institute
- Edmund J. Safra Foundation Center for Ethics– Harvard Kennedy School
- Ethics and Public Policy Center
- Foreign Policy Research Institute
- The Free Expression Policy Project (NYU School of Law)
- Freedom Forum
- George C. Marshall Institute
- Global Development and Environment Institute (Tufts University)
- Hauser Center for Non Profit Organizations– Harvard Kennedy School
- Heritage Foundation
- Hoover Institution on War, Revolution, and Peace (Stanford University)
- Hudson Institute
- Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs (University of Minnesota)
- The ICA Institute
- The Independent Institute
- Institute for Agriculture & Trade Policy
- Institute for Global Ethics (IGE)
- Institute for Higher Education Policy
- Institute for Peace
- Institute for Philosophy and Public Policy (University of Maryland)
- Institute for Policy Research (Northwestern University)
- Institute for Policy Research (University of Cincinnati)
- Institute for Policy Studies
- Institute for Public & International Affairs (University of Utah)
- Institute for Research on Poverty (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
- Institute for Social Research (University of Michigan)
- Institute for the Study of Diplomacy (Georgetown University)
- Institute for Women’s Policy Research
- Institute of Politics– Harvard Kennedy School
- Institution for Social and Policy Studies (Yale University)
- International Center for Research on Women
- International Food Policy Research Institute
- International Forum for Peace Operations
- International Institute for Strategic Studies
- Joint Center for Housing Studies– Harvard Kennedy School
- Joint Center for Operational Analysis
- Joint Center for Political & Economic Studies
- Joint Center for Poverty Research (Northwestern University & University of Chicago)
- Levy Economics Institute (Bard College)
- The Manhattan Institute for Policy Research
- Maryland Institute for Policy Analysis and Research (University of Maryland, Baltimore)
- Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center
- Massachusetts Institute for a New Commonwealth
- Milken Institute
- Morrison Institute for Public Policy (Arizona State University)
- Mossaver-Rahmani Center for Business & Government– Harvard Kennedy School
- National Academy of Public Administration
- National Alliance for Civic Education (University of Maryland)
- National Bureau of Economic Research
- National Center for Children in Poverty (Columbia University)
- National Center for Policy Analysis
- National Center for Smart Growth Research & Education (University of Maryland)
- National Health Policy Forum
- Nautilus Institute for Security & Sustainable Development
- Northeast-Midwest Institute
- Pacific Research Institute
- Peterson Institute for International Economics
- Phoenix Center for Advanced Legal & Economic Public Policy Studies
- Pioneer Institute for Public Policy Research
- Political Research Associates
- Project on Defense Alternatives
- Program on the Economics of Crime & Justice Policy (University of Maryland)
- Progress & Freedom Foundation
- Progressive Policy Institute
- Public Agenda
- Public Policy Institute of California
- Public Policy Research Center (University of Missouri, St. Louis)
- Rand Corporation
- Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston– Harvard Kennedy School
- Reason Foundation
- Resources for the Future
- The Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government (SUNY Albany)
- The Roosevelt Institution
- Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Poltics, and Public Policy– Harvard Kennedy School
- Social Science Research Council
- Southwest Consortium for Environmental Research & Policy
- Henry L. Stimson Center
- Strategic Studies Institute (U.S. Army War College)
- Substance Abuse Policy Research Program
- Taubman Center for State & Local Government– Harvard Kennedy School
- TRAC: Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (Syracuse University)
- Urban Institute
- Washington Institute for Near East Policy
- Weatherhead East Asian Institute (Columbia University)
- Weidenbaum Center on the Economy, Government, & Public Policy (Washingon University in St. Louis)
- Malcolm Weiner Center for Social Policy– Harvard Kennedy School
- The Williams Institute (UCLA School of Law)
- Women& Public Policy Program – Harvard Kennedy School
- Wooodrow Wilson Center for Scholars
- World Policy Institute
- World Resources Institute
- Worldwatch Institute
International
- Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit (Afghanistan)
- African Centre for Economic Growth (Kenya)
- African Technology Policy Studies Network (Tanzania)
- African Economic Research Consortium (Kenya)
- Al-Ahram Center for Political & Strategic Studies (Egypt)
- Arab Planning Institute (Kuwait)
- Australian Institute for International Affairs (Australia)
Bangladesh Institute for Development Studies (Bangladesh)
- BioCentre (U.K.)
- Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace (Cambodia)
- Carnegie Middle East Center (Lebanon)
- Carnegie Moscow Center (Russia)
- Center for Economic & Social Development (Azerbaijan)
- Center for Independent Studies (Australia)
- Center for International Governance Innovation (Canada)
- Center for International Peace Operations (Germany)
- Center for Policy Research (India)
- Center for Security Studies (Switzerland)
- Center for Social & Economic Research (Poland)
- Center for Strategic & International Studies (Indonesia)
- Center for Strategic Studies (Jordan)
- Center for the Study of the Economies of Africa (Nigeria)
- Centre for Development and Enterprise (South Africa)
- Centre for Development & the Environment (Sweden)
- Centre for Economic Policy Research (U.K.)
- Centre for European Policy Studies (Belgium)
- Centre for Policy Analysis (Ghana)
- Centre for Strategic Research & Analysis (U.K.)
- Centre for the Study of Public Policy (University of Aberdeen, Scotland)
- Centre of Excellance– Defense Against Terrorism (Turkey)
- Chatham House (U.K.)
- China Institute of Contemporary International Relations (China)
- Clingendael (Netherlands)
- Civilian Capacity for Peace Operations (Germany)
- Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (Senegal)
- East Asian Institute (South Korea)
- Economic Research Institute for ASEAN & East Asia (Indonesia)
Economic & Social Research Institute (Ireland)
- Emirates Center for Strategic Studies & Research (U.A.E.)
- EU Institute for Security Studies (France)
- European Centre on the International Political Economy (Belgium)
- European Policy Centre
- Group for the Analysis of Development (Peru)
- Gulf Research Center (UAE)
- Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (India)
- Information & Decision Support Center (Egypt)
- Institute for Defense Studies & Analyses (India)
- Institute for Far Eastern Studies (South Korea)
- Institute for Fiscal Studies (U.K.)
- Center for International Policy Studies (Japan)
- Institute for National Security Studies (Israel)
- Institute for the Integration of Latin America & the Carribean (Argentina)
- Institute of Developing Economies (Japan)
- Institute of Development Studies
- Institute of Policy Studies (University of Singapore, Singapore)
- Institute of World Economics & Politics (China)
- International Development Research Centre (Canada)
- The International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (Austria)
- International Institute for Sustainable Development (Canada)
- International Policy Network (U.K.)
- Islamabad Policy Research Institute (Pakistan)
- Kenya Institute of Public Policy Research & Analyses (Kenya)
- LSE Ideas: International Affairs, Diplomacy, and Strategy (London School of Economics, U.K.)
- Makerere Institute of Social Research (Uganda)
- Malaysian Institute of Economic Research (Malaysia)
- Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (Nigeria)
- Overseas Development Institute (U.K.)
- Oxonia: Oxford Institute for Economic Policy (U.K.)
- Peace Research Institute (Norway)
- Pearson Peacekeeping Center (Canada)
- Rand Europe (U.K.)
- Royal United Services Institute (U.K.)
- Social Policy & Development Centre (Pakistan)
- Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sweden)
- Taiwan Institute of Economic Research (Taiwan)
- UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (U.K.)
- World Institute for Development Economics Research (Finland)