Global Think Tanks: Policy Networks and Governance

Global Think Tanks provides a clear description of and context for the global proliferation of think tanks. Whilst these institutions are still relatively new players in global and national politics, they are becoming a significant source of strength in an increasingly transnational and less Western-led world. This work presents an important guide to the factors contributing to the proliferation of think tanks, the present nature of this proliferation, and the future of think tanks at the global, regional, and national level.
The book:


identifies the forces driving these phenomena by addressing some of the historical and current factors that have dominate policy debates around the world



attempts to identify the range of existing global think tanks and a representative group of global public policy networks and conduct detailed profiling of these organizations.



extrapolate trends in current think tank research that provide a basis for understanding the impact that think tanks have on policy makers



identifies and critique the role of global think tanks and global public policy networks in civil society and analyze the challenges and opportunities facing global think tanks and policy networks.


seeks to recommend improvements to think tanks and global public policy networks so that they can continue to contribute to global public policy and serve as a catalyst for civic engagement around the world.

Examining the issues that face think tanks on a global scale, this book will be of great interest to all students of international relations and international organizations.

James G. McGann, Ph.D. is the Assistant Director of the International Relations Program at the University of Pennsylvania. He is also a Senior Fellow and Director of the Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program at the Foreign Policy Research Institute in Philadelphia. For the last 20 years he has served as President of McGann Associates, a program and management consulting firm specializing in the challenges facing think tanks, policymakers, international organizations and philanthropic institutions.

Dr. McGann has served as a consultant and advisor to the World Bank, United Nations, United States Agency for International Development, Soros, Hewlett and Gates Foundations and foreign governments on the role of nongovernmental, public policy organizations in civil society. He has served as the Senior Vice-President for the Executive Council on Foreign Diplomats, the public policy program officer for The Pew Charitable Trusts, the Assistant Director of the Institute of Politics, John F. Kennedy School of Government, at Harvard University, and a Senior Advisor to the Citizens Network for Foreign Affairs and the Society for International Development.

1. National, regional, and global think tanks: catalyst for ideas and action 2. Emergence of think tanks in the policy world: the United States and beyond 3. New institutional structures: global think tanks and policy networks 4. Challenges and opportunities for global think tanks and policy networks 5. Transnational think tanks and policy networks in action 6. Conclusion