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CHANGING ROLE OF THINK TANKS AS A PUBLIC POLICY ACTOR

Year 2019, Issue: 25, 199 - 214, 25.10.2019
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 20th 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.    








References

  • Abelson, D. E. (1995). From Policy Research to Political Advocacy: The Changing Role of Think Tanks in American Politics. Canadian Review of American Studies, 25(1), 93-126.
  • Abelson, D. E. (1996). American Think-Tanks and Their Role in U.S. Foreign Policy. New York: Palg-rave Macmillan.
  • Abelson, D.E. (2002a). Do Think Tanks Matter? Assessing the Impact of Policy Institutes. Montreal: McGill-Queen’s University Press.
  • Abelson, D.E. (2002b). Think Tanks and U.S. Foreign Policy: An Historical Perspective. US Foreign Policy Agenda, 7(3), 9-12.
  • Abelson, D. E. (2006). A Capitol Idea: Think Tanks and US Foreign Policy. Montreal: McGill-Queen's University Press-MQUP.
  • Abelson, D. E. (2014). Old World, New World: The Evolution and İnfluence of Foreign Affairs Think‐Tanks. International Affairs, 90(1), 125-142.
  • Abelson, D. E. (2016). It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time: Reflections on the Evolution of Ame-rican Think Tanks. Canadian Review of American Studies / Revue canadienne d’études américaines, 46(1), 139-157.
  • Abelson, D. E. and Lindquist, E. A. (2017). Think Tanks in North America. In McGann, J. and Wea-ver, R. K. (Eds.) Think Tanks and Civil Societies: Catalysts for Ideas and Action (pp. 37-66). New York, NY: Routledge. (Original work published 2000)
  • Aras, B., Toktaş, Ş., & Kurt, Ü. (2010). Araştırma Merkezlerinin Yükselişi: Türkiye'de Dış Politika ve Ulusal Güvenlik Kültürü. Ankara: SETA.
  • Béland, D., & Waddan, A. (2000). From Thatcher (and Pinochet) to Clinton? Conservative Think Tanks, Foreign Models and US Pensions Reform. The Political Quarterly, 71(2), 202-210.
  • Boucher, S. & Hobbs, B. (2004). Europe and Its Think Tanks; A Promise to be Fulfilled. An Analysis of Think Tanks Specialised in European Policy İssues in the Enlarged European Union. Paris: Notre Europe, Studies and Research No: 35.
  • Fischer, F. (2002). Policy Discourse and the Politics of Washington Think Tanks. In Fischer, F. and Forester, J. (Eds.) The Argumentative Turn in Policy Analysis and Planning. (pp. 21-42). Taylor & Francis e-library.
  • Haass, R. N. (2002). Think Tanks and US Foreign Policy: A Policy-maker’s Perspective. US Foreign Policy Agenda, 7(3), pp. 5-8.
  • Kanbolat, H., & Karasar, H. A. (2009). Türkiye’de Stratejik Düşünce Kültürü ve Stratejik Araştırma Merkezleri: Başlangıcından Bugüne Türk Düşünce Kuruluşları. Ankara, Nobel Yayıncılık.
  • Karakurt, A. (2007). Düşünce Kuruluşları ve Politika Sürecindeki Rolleri. Amme İdaresi Dergi-si, 40(2), 1-20.
  • Keskin, F. (2005). Modern Demokrasilerde Yeni Politik Seçkinler: Think Tankler ve Politikadaki Rol-leri. Sosyoekonomi, 1(1), ss. 45-59.
  • Krastev, I. (2001). Think Tanks: Making and Faking Influence. Southeast European and Black Sea Studies, 1(2), 17-38.
  • McGann, J. G. (2003). Think Tanks and the Transnationalization of Foreign Policy. Connections, 2(1), 85-90.
  • McGann, J. G. (2007). Think Tanks and Policy Advice in The US: Academics, Advisors and Advocates. New York, NY: Routledge.
  • McGann, J. G. (2016). The Fifth Estate: Think Tanks, Public Policy, and Governance. Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press.
  • McGann, J. G., & Shull, A. (2018). Think Tanks and Emerging Power Networks. In McGann, J.G. (Ed.) Think Tanks and Emerging Power Policy Networks (pp. 3-14). Palgrave Pivot, Cham.
  • McGann, J. G. (2019). Think Tanks, Foreign Policy, and Emerging Powers. In McGann, J.G. (Ed.) Think Tanks, Foreign Policy and the Emerging Powers (pp. 17-59). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.
  • McGann, J. and Lazarou, E. (2019). Think Tanks and the Foreign Policy Challenges Facing the Emer-ging Powers. In McGann, J.G. (Ed.) Think Tanks, Foreign Policy and the Emerging Powers (pp. 3-16). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.
  • Medvetz, T. (2008). Think Tanks as an Emergent Field. New York: Social Science Research Council.
  • Medvetz, T. (2010). Public Policy is Like Having A Vaudeville Act: Languages of Duty and Difference Among Think Tank-Afilliated Policy Experts. Qualitative Sociology. 33(04), 549-562.
  • Medvetz, T. ( 2012a). Murky Power: ‘Think Tanks’ as Boundary Organizations. In David Courpas-son, Damon Golsorkhi, and Jeffrey J. Sallaz, eds. Rethinking Forms of Power in Organizati-ons, Institutions, and Markets (pp.113-33). Bradford, UK: Emerald Group Publishing Limi-ted.
  • Medvetz, T. (2012b). Think Tanks in America. University of Chicago Press.
  • Medvetz, T. (2012c). Think Tanks and the Rise of Savvy Policy Entrepreneurs. SSN Key Findings. Scholars Strategy Network. December.
  • Medvetz, T. (2013). Think Tanks in America. VOX POP: Newsletter of Political Organizations and Parties. 31(3): 1-3.
  • Mudde, C. (2007). Populist Radical Right Parties in Europe. New York: Cambridge University Press.
  • Pautz, H. (2011). Revisiting the Think-Tank Phenomenon. Public Policy and Administration, 26(4), 419-435.
  • Rich, A. (2004). Think Tanks, Public Policy, and the Politics of Expertise. Cambridge: Cambridge Uni-versity Press.
  • Rich, A. (2005). The War of Ideas: Why Mainstream and Liberal Foundations and The Think Tanks They Support Are Losing in The War Of Ideas in American Politics. Stanford Social Innova-tion Review. Vol. 03, pp. 18-25.
  • Rich, A. (2011). Ideas, Expertise, and Think Tanks. In Béland D. and R. H. Cox (eds), Ideas and Poli-tics in Social Science Research (pp. 191–208). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  • Singer, P. W. (2010). Washington’s Think Tanks: Factories to Call Our Own. Washingtonian, Au-gust.
  • Smith, J. A. (1991). The Idea Brokers. Think Tanks and the Rise of the New Policy Elite. New York: The Free Press.
  • Stone, D. (1996). Capturing the Political Imagination: Think Tanks and the Policy Process. London: Frank Cass.
  • Stone, D. (2000). Think Tank Transnationalisation and Non-Profit Analysis, Advice and Advocacy. Global Society, 14(2), 153-172.
  • Stone, D. (2001a). Learning Lessons, Policy Transfer and The İnternational Diffusion of Policy Ideas. Centre for the Study of Globalisation and Regionalisation Working Paper, (69/01).
  • Stone, D. (2001b, October). Think Global, Act Local or Think Local, Act Global? Knowledge Produc-tion in the Global Agora. Paper prepared for Reshaping Globalization: Multilateral Dialo-gues and New Policy Initiatives, Central European University Conference, Budapest.
  • Stone, D., & Ullrich, H. (2003). Policy Research Institutes and Think Tanks in Western Europe: Deve-lopment Trends and Perspectives. Local Government and Public Service Reform Initiative, Open Society Institute.
  • Stone, D. (2005). “Think Tanks and Policy Advice in Countries in Transition”, Paper prepared for The Asian Development Bank Institute Symposium: “How to Strengthen Policy-Oriented Rese-arch and Training in Vietnam”. August 31, 2005, Hanoi.
  • Stone, D. (2007a). Recycling Bins, Garbage Cans or Think Tanks? Three Myths Regarding Policy Analysis Institutes. Public Administration, Vol. 85, No. 2, pp. 259-278.
  • Stone, D. (2007b). Public Policy Analysis and Think Tanks. In Fischer, F., Miller, G. J., & Sidney, M. S. (Eds.) Handbook of Public Policy Analysis: Theory, Methods, and Politics (pp. 149-157). Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.
  • Stone, D. (2013). Knowledge Actors and Transnational Governance: The Private-Public Policy Nexus in The Global Agora. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
  • Tezcek, Ö. (2011). Düşünce Fabrikaları: Sermayenin Harici Belleği. SAV (Sosyal Araştırmalar Vakfı).
  • Troy, T. (2012). Devaluing the Think Tank. National Affairs, 10, 75-90.
  • Weaver, R. K. (1989). The Changing World of Think Tanks. PS: Political Science & Politics, 22(3), 563-578.
  • Weaver, R. K. and McGann, J. (2017). Think Tanks and Civil Societies in a Time of Change. In McGann, J. and Weaver, R. K. (Eds.) Think Tanks and Civil Societies: Catalysts for Ideas and Action (pp. 1-36). New York: Routledge. (Original work published 2000)
  • Wildavsky, A. (2018). The Art and Craft of Policy Analysis. Palgrave Macmillan.
  • Yıldız, M., Çelik, D., Arslan, N., Çiftçi, L., Eldemir, S., & Sinangil, S. (2013). Kamu Politikalarında Dü-şünce Üretim Kuruluşlarının Rolü: Genel Çerçeve ve Türkiye’den Örnekler. İçinde Yıldız, M., & Sobacı, M. Z. (Eds.) Kamu Politikası Kuram ve Uygulama, (ss. 188-220). Ankara: Ad-res Yayınları.

KAMU POLİTİKASI AKTÖRÜ OLARAK DÜŞÜNCE KURULUŞLARI VE DEĞİŞEN ROLLERİ

Year 2019, Issue: 25, 199 - 214, 25.10.2019
https://doi.org/10.18092/ulikidince.556391

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.








References

  • Abelson, D. E. (1995). From Policy Research to Political Advocacy: The Changing Role of Think Tanks in American Politics. Canadian Review of American Studies, 25(1), 93-126.
  • Abelson, D. E. (1996). American Think-Tanks and Their Role in U.S. Foreign Policy. New York: Palg-rave Macmillan.
  • Abelson, D.E. (2002a). Do Think Tanks Matter? Assessing the Impact of Policy Institutes. Montreal: McGill-Queen’s University Press.
  • Abelson, D.E. (2002b). Think Tanks and U.S. Foreign Policy: An Historical Perspective. US Foreign Policy Agenda, 7(3), 9-12.
  • Abelson, D. E. (2006). A Capitol Idea: Think Tanks and US Foreign Policy. Montreal: McGill-Queen's University Press-MQUP.
  • Abelson, D. E. (2014). Old World, New World: The Evolution and İnfluence of Foreign Affairs Think‐Tanks. International Affairs, 90(1), 125-142.
  • Abelson, D. E. (2016). It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time: Reflections on the Evolution of Ame-rican Think Tanks. Canadian Review of American Studies / Revue canadienne d’études américaines, 46(1), 139-157.
  • Abelson, D. E. and Lindquist, E. A. (2017). Think Tanks in North America. In McGann, J. and Wea-ver, R. K. (Eds.) Think Tanks and Civil Societies: Catalysts for Ideas and Action (pp. 37-66). New York, NY: Routledge. (Original work published 2000)
  • Aras, B., Toktaş, Ş., & Kurt, Ü. (2010). Araştırma Merkezlerinin Yükselişi: Türkiye'de Dış Politika ve Ulusal Güvenlik Kültürü. Ankara: SETA.
  • Béland, D., & Waddan, A. (2000). From Thatcher (and Pinochet) to Clinton? Conservative Think Tanks, Foreign Models and US Pensions Reform. The Political Quarterly, 71(2), 202-210.
  • Boucher, S. & Hobbs, B. (2004). Europe and Its Think Tanks; A Promise to be Fulfilled. An Analysis of Think Tanks Specialised in European Policy İssues in the Enlarged European Union. Paris: Notre Europe, Studies and Research No: 35.
  • Fischer, F. (2002). Policy Discourse and the Politics of Washington Think Tanks. In Fischer, F. and Forester, J. (Eds.) The Argumentative Turn in Policy Analysis and Planning. (pp. 21-42). Taylor & Francis e-library.
  • Haass, R. N. (2002). Think Tanks and US Foreign Policy: A Policy-maker’s Perspective. US Foreign Policy Agenda, 7(3), pp. 5-8.
  • Kanbolat, H., & Karasar, H. A. (2009). Türkiye’de Stratejik Düşünce Kültürü ve Stratejik Araştırma Merkezleri: Başlangıcından Bugüne Türk Düşünce Kuruluşları. Ankara, Nobel Yayıncılık.
  • Karakurt, A. (2007). Düşünce Kuruluşları ve Politika Sürecindeki Rolleri. Amme İdaresi Dergi-si, 40(2), 1-20.
  • Keskin, F. (2005). Modern Demokrasilerde Yeni Politik Seçkinler: Think Tankler ve Politikadaki Rol-leri. Sosyoekonomi, 1(1), ss. 45-59.
  • Krastev, I. (2001). Think Tanks: Making and Faking Influence. Southeast European and Black Sea Studies, 1(2), 17-38.
  • McGann, J. G. (2003). Think Tanks and the Transnationalization of Foreign Policy. Connections, 2(1), 85-90.
  • McGann, J. G. (2007). Think Tanks and Policy Advice in The US: Academics, Advisors and Advocates. New York, NY: Routledge.
  • McGann, J. G. (2016). The Fifth Estate: Think Tanks, Public Policy, and Governance. Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press.
  • McGann, J. G., & Shull, A. (2018). Think Tanks and Emerging Power Networks. In McGann, J.G. (Ed.) Think Tanks and Emerging Power Policy Networks (pp. 3-14). Palgrave Pivot, Cham.
  • McGann, J. G. (2019). Think Tanks, Foreign Policy, and Emerging Powers. In McGann, J.G. (Ed.) Think Tanks, Foreign Policy and the Emerging Powers (pp. 17-59). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.
  • McGann, J. and Lazarou, E. (2019). Think Tanks and the Foreign Policy Challenges Facing the Emer-ging Powers. In McGann, J.G. (Ed.) Think Tanks, Foreign Policy and the Emerging Powers (pp. 3-16). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.
  • Medvetz, T. (2008). Think Tanks as an Emergent Field. New York: Social Science Research Council.
  • Medvetz, T. (2010). Public Policy is Like Having A Vaudeville Act: Languages of Duty and Difference Among Think Tank-Afilliated Policy Experts. Qualitative Sociology. 33(04), 549-562.
  • Medvetz, T. ( 2012a). Murky Power: ‘Think Tanks’ as Boundary Organizations. In David Courpas-son, Damon Golsorkhi, and Jeffrey J. Sallaz, eds. Rethinking Forms of Power in Organizati-ons, Institutions, and Markets (pp.113-33). Bradford, UK: Emerald Group Publishing Limi-ted.
  • Medvetz, T. (2012b). Think Tanks in America. University of Chicago Press.
  • Medvetz, T. (2012c). Think Tanks and the Rise of Savvy Policy Entrepreneurs. SSN Key Findings. Scholars Strategy Network. December.
  • Medvetz, T. (2013). Think Tanks in America. VOX POP: Newsletter of Political Organizations and Parties. 31(3): 1-3.
  • Mudde, C. (2007). Populist Radical Right Parties in Europe. New York: Cambridge University Press.
  • Pautz, H. (2011). Revisiting the Think-Tank Phenomenon. Public Policy and Administration, 26(4), 419-435.
  • Rich, A. (2004). Think Tanks, Public Policy, and the Politics of Expertise. Cambridge: Cambridge Uni-versity Press.
  • Rich, A. (2005). The War of Ideas: Why Mainstream and Liberal Foundations and The Think Tanks They Support Are Losing in The War Of Ideas in American Politics. Stanford Social Innova-tion Review. Vol. 03, pp. 18-25.
  • Rich, A. (2011). Ideas, Expertise, and Think Tanks. In Béland D. and R. H. Cox (eds), Ideas and Poli-tics in Social Science Research (pp. 191–208). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  • Singer, P. W. (2010). Washington’s Think Tanks: Factories to Call Our Own. Washingtonian, Au-gust.
  • Smith, J. A. (1991). The Idea Brokers. Think Tanks and the Rise of the New Policy Elite. New York: The Free Press.
  • Stone, D. (1996). Capturing the Political Imagination: Think Tanks and the Policy Process. London: Frank Cass.
  • Stone, D. (2000). Think Tank Transnationalisation and Non-Profit Analysis, Advice and Advocacy. Global Society, 14(2), 153-172.
  • Stone, D. (2001a). Learning Lessons, Policy Transfer and The İnternational Diffusion of Policy Ideas. Centre for the Study of Globalisation and Regionalisation Working Paper, (69/01).
  • Stone, D. (2001b, October). Think Global, Act Local or Think Local, Act Global? Knowledge Produc-tion in the Global Agora. Paper prepared for Reshaping Globalization: Multilateral Dialo-gues and New Policy Initiatives, Central European University Conference, Budapest.
  • Stone, D., & Ullrich, H. (2003). Policy Research Institutes and Think Tanks in Western Europe: Deve-lopment Trends and Perspectives. Local Government and Public Service Reform Initiative, Open Society Institute.
  • Stone, D. (2005). “Think Tanks and Policy Advice in Countries in Transition”, Paper prepared for The Asian Development Bank Institute Symposium: “How to Strengthen Policy-Oriented Rese-arch and Training in Vietnam”. August 31, 2005, Hanoi.
  • Stone, D. (2007a). Recycling Bins, Garbage Cans or Think Tanks? Three Myths Regarding Policy Analysis Institutes. Public Administration, Vol. 85, No. 2, pp. 259-278.
  • Stone, D. (2007b). Public Policy Analysis and Think Tanks. In Fischer, F., Miller, G. J., & Sidney, M. S. (Eds.) Handbook of Public Policy Analysis: Theory, Methods, and Politics (pp. 149-157). Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.
  • Stone, D. (2013). Knowledge Actors and Transnational Governance: The Private-Public Policy Nexus in The Global Agora. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
  • Tezcek, Ö. (2011). Düşünce Fabrikaları: Sermayenin Harici Belleği. SAV (Sosyal Araştırmalar Vakfı).
  • Troy, T. (2012). Devaluing the Think Tank. National Affairs, 10, 75-90.
  • Weaver, R. K. (1989). The Changing World of Think Tanks. PS: Political Science & Politics, 22(3), 563-578.
  • Weaver, R. K. and McGann, J. (2017). Think Tanks and Civil Societies in a Time of Change. In McGann, J. and Weaver, R. K. (Eds.) Think Tanks and Civil Societies: Catalysts for Ideas and Action (pp. 1-36). New York: Routledge. (Original work published 2000)
  • Wildavsky, A. (2018). The Art and Craft of Policy Analysis. Palgrave Macmillan.
  • Yıldız, M., Çelik, D., Arslan, N., Çiftçi, L., Eldemir, S., & Sinangil, S. (2013). Kamu Politikalarında Dü-şünce Üretim Kuruluşlarının Rolü: Genel Çerçeve ve Türkiye’den Örnekler. İçinde Yıldız, M., & Sobacı, M. Z. (Eds.) Kamu Politikası Kuram ve Uygulama, (ss. 188-220). Ankara: Ad-res Yayınları.
There are 51 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language Turkish
Journal Section Articles
Authors

Tuncay Durna 0000-0002-8970-0411

Publication Date October 25, 2019
Published in Issue Year 2019 Issue: 25

Cite

APA Durna, T. (2019). KAMU POLİTİKASI AKTÖRÜ OLARAK DÜŞÜNCE KURULUŞLARI VE DEĞİŞEN ROLLERİ. Uluslararası İktisadi Ve İdari İncelemeler Dergisi(25), 199-214. https://doi.org/10.18092/ulikidince.556391

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