Think Tanks, Policy Institutes and Centers (US)
There
are numerous public policy institutes and research programs across the
country that provide insightful analysis of numerous public
policy/affairs issues. A few are highlighted here. For a larger listing
of relevant think tanks and policy institutes, please visit the University of Michigan Think Tank Guide.
**For a list of international think tanks by country (note some of these may be in the native language!), see the NIRA (National Institute for Research Advancement) World Directory of Think Tanks. Also note that the online guide is from 2003 and may have a few dead links.**
- Heritage Foundation - The
Heritage Foundation is the nation’s most broadly supported public
policy research institute, with more than 465,000 individual,
foundation and corporate donors. Heritage, founded in February 1973,
has a staff of 244 and an expense budget of $61 million. Their mission is to formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the
principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom,
traditional American values, and a strong national defense. They have
a very useful policy archive, catalogued by date and by subject. Click
on "Heritage Research" for a list of possible topics.
- The Yale Institution for Social and Policy Studies focuses on an interdisciplinary approach to studying social problems and public policy.
- The Southern Center for Studies in Public Policy
is housed at Clark Atlanta University and focuses on public policy as
it affects African-Americans. The SCSP publishes both the Status of
Black Atlanta and the Georgia Legislative Review.
- The Johns Hopkins Institute for Policy Studies is a well known institute that tends to focus its research on social issues such as welfare and the non-profit sector.
- Annenberg Public Policy Center--Primarily focuses on the interplay of media, communications, and public policy.
- The American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy
- Brookings Institution --focuses
on a wide range of issues from social policy to urban affairs to
foreign policy. For a listing of research topics handled by the
institute go to http://www.brook.edu/index/research.htm.
- Ethics and Public Policy Center --focuses on both issues of foreign and domestic public policy from a conservative perspective.
- National Center for Public Policy Research
- Hoover Institution--located
at Stanford University, focuses on a wide variety of public
policy/affairs issues. Policy Review journal is available online back
to 1996 (http://www.policyreview.org). Weekly essays on various topics of public policy importance are also located here.
- Cato Institute--Performs research on a wide variety of issues from foreign policy to social policy.
- Urban Institute--Non-partisan
research group that focuses on various social and economic policy
issues. Has many full-text research reports available online. Click on
"research" for access to such reports.
- Public Agenda Online--holds short policy reports are available online. Must register (free) first though.
- Texas Policy Foundation - The Texas Public Policy Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit, non-partisan research institute.The Foundation’s mission is to promote and defend liberty, personal
responsibility, and free enterprise in Texas by educating and affecting
policymakers and the Texas public policy debate with academically sound
research and outreach. The
Foundation does not accept government funds or contributions to
influence the outcomes of its research.
(This list is based on Dr. Chris Palazzolo's Political Science LibGuides page at Emory University.)
