Think tanks beyond the nation-state : policy analysis for global policy and transnational administration

Abstract

Think tanks have also become transnational actors in a variety of ways. First, think tanks not only have research divisions addressing global and regional issues and foreign policy questions, but also often host visiting fellows or invite speakers from overseas research institutions. Second, think tanks internationalize their activities, including think tanks creating branch offices in other countries or via cross-national collaborations in think tank networks. Third, a large number of institutes have been semi-incorporated into international organizations or multilateral negotiations in what some call the ‘new diplomacy’. Fourth, certain think tanks have been created as global or regional actors, most particularly those think tanks espousing Europe Union agendas but also other initiatives like the BRICS think tank council or the think tank engagement group orbiting the Group of 20. Through their transnational research networks and alliances the think tank industry is partly constitutive of global and regional policy processes.