CHANGING ROLE OF THINK TANKS AS A PUBLIC POLICY ACTOR

Year 2019, , 199 - 214, 25.10.2019

Tuncay Durna

https://doi.org/10.18092/ulikidince.556391

Abstract

The role of
the think tanks as providing knowledge for political decision makers on public
policy issues based on objective scholarly research when they were established
at the beginning of the 20^th century turned into marketing of ideas
with a strong ideological and partisan position as the advocacy think tanks
emerged in 1970s. Today populism and authoritarian tendency combined with the
post-truth era pose a new challenge for think tanks which requires reevaluation
of their roles. Role of the think tanks as “speaking truth to power” should
become “speaking truth to people” in political systems with an authoritarian
tendency. This article discusses the changing role and strategies of think
tanks in this new era.    

Keywords

Think Tanks, Public Policy, Role of Think Tanks, Populism, Post-truth Era

KAMU POLİTİKASI AKTÖRÜ OLARAK DÜŞÜNCE KURULUŞLARI VE DEĞİŞEN ROLLERİ

Abstract

Yirminci yüzyılın başlarında kamu
politikaları konusunda siyasi karar vericiler için objektif ve akademik
araştırmalara dayalı bilgi üretme amacı ile kurulan düşünce kuruluşlarının rolü
1970’li yıllarda savunucu düşünce kuruluşlarının ortaya çıkması ile birlikte
güçlü bir ideolojik ve partizan pozisyon ile fikirlerin pazarlanmasına
dönüşmüştür. Günümüzde popülizm ve otoriterleşme eğilimi ile birleşen
post-truth dönem ise düşünce kuruluşları için yeni bir meydan okuma olup bu
kuruluşların rolünün yeniden değerlendirilmesini gerektirmektedir. Düşünce
kuruluşlarının iktidara karşı gerçekleri haykırması olarak ifade edilen
“speaking truth to power”, otoriterleşen sistemlerde halka karşı gerçekleri
haykırmaya (speaking truth to people) dönüşmelidir. Bu makalede bu yeni dönemde
düşünce kuruluşlarının değişen rolü ve stratejileri tartışılacaktır.

Keywords

Düşünce Kuruluşları, Kamu Politikası, Düşünce Kuruluşlarının Rolü, Popülizm, Post-truth Dönem

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