The Future of Think Tanks and Policy Advice Around the World

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xii

   PDF

2. Introduction and Background

   • James McGann

   Pages 1-17

3. Africa Region

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 19-19

      PDF

   2. The Future of Think Tanks in Africa

      • Vasu Gounden, Cedric de Coning

      Pages 21-25

   3. The Future of African Think Tanks

      • Emmanuel Acquah

      Pages 27-31

   4. The Future of Think Tanks and Policy Advice: An African Perspective

      • Ufo Okeke-Uzodike

      Pages 33-40

   5. Bringing Think Tanks into the Digital Era

      • Idayat Hassan

      Pages 41-44

   6. Think Tanks in the Context of Africa’s Development

      • Rose Ngugi

      Pages 45-50

4. Europe Region

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 51-52

      PDF

   2. Artificial Intelligence: An Opportunity and a Challenge for Think Tanks

      • Guntram Wolff

      Pages 53-57

   3. Connecting Politics and Society: A Way Forward for Think Tanks

      • Pol Morillas

      Pages 59-62

   4. Think Tanks for Future—A Think Piece

      • Camilla Bausch, R. Andreas Kraemer

      Pages 63-73

   5. The Future of Think Tanks in the Western Balkans: The Old, the New, and the Upcoming

      • Milena Lazarevic

      Pages 75-81

   6. The Future of Think Tanks and the Crisis of Democracy

      • Roland Schmidt

      Pages 83-89

   7. Data Is a Powerful Assistant but the Think Tanker Is Still in Charge

      • Pascal Boniface

      Pages 91-95

   8. Think Tanks, Covid-19, and Internationalism

      • Diego López Garrido

      Pages 97-99

   9. Widening and Deepening: Partnership and Multidisciplinarity in Challenging Times

      • Paolo Magri

      Pages 101-106

   10. Tackling Global Challenges in an Era of Disruption and Contradiction—The Changing Role of Think Tanks

       • Melissa Leach

       Pages 107-112

   11. Scientific Approach, Objective Analysis, and National Interests of Russia: IMEMO Traditions are Always In Demand, Always Valued.

       • Alexander A. Dynkin

       Pages 113-118

   12. The Future of Think Tanks Around the World

       • Laurent Bigorgne, Francis Verillaud

       Pages 119-123

At a moment when both think tanks and experts are being questioned, significant policy and technology disruptions have called into question the value and efficacy of policy advice. Within that context, Dr. McGann launched this book to examine the future of think tanks and policy advice around the world with a series of authoritative reflections written by the presidents of some of the leading think tanks in every region of the world. The book explores the challenges think tanks face today in an information rich and highly competitive operating environment that includes: the impact of technology, big data and artificial intelligence, competition from advocacy groups and public relations firms, increased polarization of politics and major changes in how think tanks are funded. 

• think tanks
• globalization
• policy
• international organizations
• international leadership
• research

“ Expertise has been the subject of abuse in recent years, with opponents ranging from conspiracy-theorists to populist leaders all seeking to denigrate 'elite' academics and experts as out of touch. Think-tanks have been a particular victim of this toxic discourse. Compiling the views of 64 current and former presidents of think tanks around the world, the book provides a fascinating wealth of information, posing probing questions about the place of think-tanks today and tomorrow.”

- Dr Shashi Tharoor, M.P., Member of Parliament for Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology, Chairman, All-India Professionals' Congress, India.

 

“Dr. McGann has been studying the think tank industry for decades and has witnessed endless examples of successful as well as failed institutions; his assessment is solid, convincing, and exceptional in its breath and depth. This is his bible.”

- Luis Rubio, Chairman, Mexican Council on Foreign Relations, COMEXI

 

"At this global inflection point, “The Future of Think Tanks” provides a ground-breaking and thought-provoking analysis of an increasingly influential community and the challenges and opportunities it confronts. Jim McGann and the authors he has assembled provide timely insights into a little-understood but hugely significant world of scholars and actors who help us shape a better world.”

-General James L. Jones, Former United States National Security Advisor and Former Supreme Allied Commander Europe

 

• University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA

  James McGann

James G. McGann is Senior Lecturer of International Studies at the Lauder Institute at the Wharton School and the School of Arts and Sciences, Director of the Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program and Senior Fellow at the Fels Institute of Government at the University of Pennsylvania. He is also the Director of the Think Tanks and Foreign Policy Program at the Foreign Policy Research Institute.