Information on think tanks

Directories of International Think Tanks

• A comprehenisve description of the international think tank landscape can be found in James McGann[1]. McGann counts more than 6500 think tanks[2]. The web-based directory of think tanks can be accessed here thinktanks.fpri.org
  

McGann released a report in which he lists all those think tanks worldwide which he considers influential. Here the link to the latest ranking by McGann from 2009: World Rankings of Think-Tanks with Dr. James G. McGann (United Nations University)[3] [www.fpri.org/research/thinktanks/mcgann.globalgotothinktanks.pdf]

• A bibliografical project listing publications by a selection of international think tanks can be looked at Global Think Tank Watch (Global Security Reseach Institute der Universität Keio, Japan)
• Lists of international think tanks with links to their websites (if existing) are accessable at:
  • Worldpress
  • Wikipedia:List_of_think_tanks
• The Japanese National Institute for Research Advancement compiled NIRA's World Directory of Think Tanks. It was started earlier than the above mentioned but is not up-to-date anymore (last up-date: 2005)[4]
• The Observatoire Français de Think Tanks Observatoire Français de Think Tanks so far has documented only 27 institutes. But it provides a journal and extensive background information on the think tanks.

Directories of European and German Think Tanks

• Notre Europe provides a list of European think tanks [5], and according reviews [6]
• Daniel Florian's directory of German and European think tanks, which derives from his bachelor thesis includes 151 German [7] and 72 European think tanks [8]. He provides brief information about type (advocacy or academic), size, and issues addressed by the think tank among others:

Thinktank-Directory additionally you can find there a weblog with current background information: [9]

• The German Goethe-Institut keeps record of German academic and mostly public funded think tanks, which is thematically organized: Tanks: Deutschland denkt
• Scattered information on French free-market libera and their management can be researched here [www.wikiberal.org/ wikiliberal] und liberpedia.
• Die Zeitschrift für Politikberatung erscheint seit 2008 und enthält hier und da Artikel zu Think Tanks z.B. eine Selbstvorstellung des Council on Public Policy und analytische Beiträge.

Subject Classification

• Think tanks focussing on international relations/foreign policy: Ediplomat:Think Tanks
• economic issues oriented think tanks: Economics Departments, Institutes and Research Centers in the World

und ein Ranking wirtschaftswissenschaftlicher Think Tanks:

• Top 25% Think Tanks, as of April 2010
• Think Tanks zur Umweltpolitik: Ecologic, McGanns Präsentation zu umweltorientierten Think Tanks: The Earthly Truth: Analyzing the Nature of Environmental Think Tanks
• Analysen zum entwicklungspolitischen Global Development Network: GDNet – discussing my findings on GDNet

Kritische Darstellung der PR- und meinungsmanipulatorischen Arbeit von Think Tanks, Offenlegung ihrer Finanzierung

• Das Wirken konservativer und marktliberaler Think Tanks als Teil einer PR-Industrie die die Ideen der Privatisierung, Rückbau des Sozialstaats und Deregulierung beschreiben
  • Spinwatch, auch [10] und
  • Sourcewatch
• Speziell die Aktivitäten der Initiative Neue Soziale Marktwirtschaft beobachtet insmwatchblog
• Die finanzielle Unterstützung für konservative und marktliberale Think Tanks durch hauptsächlich US-amerikanische Stifungen und Konzerne versucht

Mediamattersaction zu dokumentieren.

• Zum Fehlen von Informationen über die Finanzierung europäischer Think Tanks ein immer noch aktueller Artikel aus dem Jahr 2005: Transparency unthinkable?

In Sachen Lobbyismus und Transparenz vergleiche auch die Europäische Transparenzinitiative[11] und ihr Lobbyisten-Register[12]. Und last but not least: Lobbycontrol en:Infos about think tanks