| Think Tanks & Policy Centers |
The term "think tanks" is an imprecise phrase used to describe a wide range of non-profit research organizations which engage in public policy analysis and research, and often advocate solutions. Some are strictly nonpartisan, researching policy issues without regard to political outcomes, while others see one of their main functions as that of providing intellectual support to politicians or parties. They are as ubiquitous in the American political scene as interest groups, media consultants, "spin doctors," and the political parties themselves.
Some of the most useful reference titles about think tanks are:
- Abelson, Donald E.
- A Capitol Idea: Think Tanks and U.S. Foreign Policy.
- Montreal ; Kingston : McGill-Queen’s University Press, c2006.
- E 744 .A2145 2006g - Lehman
- Abelson, Donald E.
- Do Think Tanks Matter? : Assessing the Impact of Public Policy Institutes.
- Montreal : McGill-Queen’s University Press, c2002.
- H 97 .A24 2002 - Lehman
- Lieberman, Trudy.
- Slanting the Story: the Forces That Shape the News.
- New York : New Press, 2000.
- PN 4888 .C598 L54 2000 - Lehman
- Ladi, Stella.
- Globalisation, Policy Transfer and Policy Research Institutes.
- Cheltenham, UK ; Northampton, MA : E. Elgar, c2005.
- H 97 .L33 2005 - Business
- NIRA's World Directory of Think Tanks 2005, 5th ed.
- Presented by the National Institute for Research Advancement (NIRA),Tokyo. Information on 318 think tanks from 89 countries and regions, with links to them when available.
- Organizations for Policy Analysis: Helping Government Think.
- Newbury Park, CA : Sage, 1992.
- JK 468 .C7 O74 1992 - Lehman
- PolicyExperts.org
- A searchable database of the conservative movement, presenting detailed information on over 300 public policy organizations in the U.S. and over 2200 public policy experts by area of expertise, presented by the Heritage Foundation.
- Public Interest Group Profiles. Triennial.
- Washington, D.C. : Foundation for Public Affairs, 1977/78- .
- JK 1118 .P8 - Latest in Lehman Reference
- Contains a chapter on think tanks, with detailed descriptions, including budget data and funding sources.
- Ricci, David M.
- The Transformation of American Politics : the New Washington and the Rise of Think Tanks.
- New Haven : Yale University Press, c1993.
- JK 468 .C7 R53 1993 - Lehman
- Rich, Andrew.
- Think Tanks, Public Policy, and the Politics of Expertise.
- Cambridge, UK ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 2004.
- H 97 .R53 2004 - Lehman
- Stone, Diane.
- Capturing the Political Imagination: Think-Tanks and the Policy Process.
- London ; Portland, OR : Frank Cass, 1996.
- H 97 .S833 1996 - Lehman
- Think Tank Directory: a Guide to Independent Nonprofit Public Policy Research Organizations. 2nd ed.
- Topeka, KS : Government Research Service, 2006.
- H 65 .T54 2006g - Lehman
- Think Tanks Across Nations: a Comparative Approach.
- Manchester : Manchester University Press, 1998.
- H 62 .T4295 1998g - Lehman
- Think Tanks and Civil Societies: Catalysts for Ideas and Action.
- New Brunswick, N.J. : Transaction Publishers, c2000.
- H 97 .T478 2000 - Lehman
The Web sites for the think tanks which follow offer a wide variety of information -- some have the full text of many of their publications available for downloading. Columbia University Libraries also has many of their print publications. Search CLIO with the think tank as an author to locate them; for example, a=rand .
 CIAO: Columbia International Affairs Online
Columbia International Affairs Online (CIAO) is designed to be the most comprehensive source for theory and research in international affairs. It publishes a wide range of scholarship from 1991 on that includes working papers from university research institutes, occasional papers series from NGOs, foundation-funded research projects, and proceedings from conferences.
- Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty
- Advocacy Institute
- Alan Guttmacher Institute
- Alliance for Health Reform
- American Conservative Union
- American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research
- American Foreign Policy Council
- Aspen Institute
- The Brookings Institution
- Canadian Institute of International Affairs
- Canadian Institute of Strategic Studies
- Carnegie Council on Ethics and International Affairs
- The Carter Center
- The Cato Institute
- Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies
- The Center For Democracy amp; Technology
- Center For Global Development
- Center For Governmental Studies
- Center for Law and Social Policy
- Center for National Policy
- Center for Public Integrity
- Center for Responsive Politics
- Center for Science, Policy, & Outcomes
- Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments
- Center for Strategic and International Studies
- Center for the New West
- Center for Urban Policy Research
- Center of Concern
- Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
- Christian Coalition of America
- Citizens' Research Foundation
- Claremont Institute for the Study of Statesmanship and Political Philosophy
- Common Cause
- The Commonwealth Fund
- Competitive Enterprise Institute
- Concord Coalition
- Council on Foreign Relations
- Demos
- Discovery Institute Public Policy Think Tank
- Eagle Forum
- Economic Policy Institute
- Empower America
- Energy and Environmental Research Center
- Ethics and Public Policy Center
- Families USA
- Federation of American Scientists
- Foreign Policy Association
- The Freedom Forum
- Gold Mercury International
- Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation
- Henry L. Stimson Center
- The Heritage Foundation
- The Hoover Institution on War, Revolution, and Peace
- Hudson Institute
- Independence Institute
- Institute for International Economics
- Institute for Policy Innovation
- Institute for Policy Studies
- Institute for War & Peace Reporting
- Institute of Public Administration
- International Institute for Strategic Studies
- Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies
- Lexington Institute
- Milken Institute
- National Bureau of Economic Research
- National Center for Policy Analysis
- National Institute for Public Policy
- Pacific Research Institute
- The Pew Charitable Trusts
- Political Economy Research Center
- Population Reference Bureau
- Progress & Freedom Foundation
- Progressive Policy Institute
- Public Citizen
- RAND: includes the ability to search RAND Abstracts, and the fulltext of some RAND publications
- Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)
- The Century Foundation (formerly The Twentieth Century Fund)
- Union of Concerned Scientists
- Urban Institute
The William Davidson Institute
- Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
- World Economic Forum
- World Resources Institute
OTHER LISTS of THINK TANKS
- Centers for Research and Policy Development: from Harvard University; links to think tanks and other organizations involved in public policy related research
- Political Resources: Think Tanks: from Project Vote Smart
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