The Fifth Estate

Think Tanks, Public Policy, and Governance

James G. McGann

• Publisher: Brookings Institution Press
• Year: 2016
• ISBN:
  9780815728313
• Topic: Politics & International Relations
• Subtopic: Peace & Global Development
• Index: Politics & International Relations

The Fifth Estate: Think Tanks, Public Policy, and Governance is a comprehensive look at think tanks and the important role they play in shaping public policy and public discourse in the United States. Author James G. McGann illustrates the lasting impact of think tanks in today’s civil society. A survey that McGann conducted among all the leading think tanks in the United States highlights the progress that think tanks in the United States have made and the challenges they have yet to face. McGann clarifies the correlation between think tank research and the policies enacted by the past three presidential administrations by looking at case studies in both foreign and domestic policy. He also describes a phenomenon known as "the revolving door,” where think tanks provide former government officials an opportunity to share insights from public service, remain involved in policy debates, and continue to provide advice and commentary.Based on the history and the level of involvement seen today, the influence of think tanks is unlikely to diminish in the coming years.

Index

Aaron, Henry J., 101

AARP (American Association of Retired Persons), 12

Abelson, Donald: on categorization of think tanks, 6–8; on Franklin Institute, 23; on hybrid think tanks, 167; on influence of think tanks, 54; on presidential campaigns influenced by think tanks, 70–71; on revolving door effect, 77; on think tank proliferation after World War II, 27

Academic think tanks, 14, 16

Advisory Council on Social Security (1994–96), 80

Advocacy think tanks, 8, 16

AEI. See American Enterprise Institute

Affordable Care Act. See Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010

Africa, think tanks in, 33, 39, 161, 171

African National Congress (South Africa), 17

African Union Mission in Sudan, 136

Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), 85, 86

Albania, think tanks in, 37

Albright, Madeleine, 76, 140

Aldy, Joe, 113

Alexander, Gerard, 74

Al Jazeera, 157

Allen, Richard V., 28

American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), 12

American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, 113

American Enterprise Institute (AEI): and Affordable Care Act, 95, 97, 102; categorization of, 14; and Clinton health care reform, 90, 91, 94; and economic stimulus package (2008), 107; funding for, 20, 21; influence of, 45; and North Korea nuclear weapons, 119, 120, 121; profile, 179; and revolving door effect, 67; and Social Security reform, 81, 84; and “surge” strategy in Iraq, 123–25

American Political Science Association, 23

American Security Project, 162

American the Vulnerable: Our Military Problems and How to Fix Them (FPRI), 133

Amnesty International, 176

Anarchist movements, 157–58

Anderson, James, 118

Anderson, Martin, 28

Antholis, William, 67

Arab Awakening movement, 157, 159

Armitage, Richard, 72

Aronson, Bernard, 72

Asian Development Bank, 11, 174

Atlantic Council of the United States, 180

Autonomous and independent think tanks, 10, 11–12, 177

Ayers, Robert...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Epigraph
• Contents
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• One: Think Tanks and Governance in the United States
• Two: The Revolving Door
• Three: Think Tanks in Action: Domestic Policy Case Studies
• Four: Think Tanks in Action: Foreign Policy Case Studies
• Five: New Challenges and Trends Facing U.S. Think Tanks
• Appendixes
• Notes
• Index