Devaluing the think tank

Abstract

Think tanks have become increasingly important to the Washington policy process, serving as both sources of policy development and political combat. As think tanks have become more politicized, they have proliferated and evolved into what has been termed “do tanks”, more focused on advancing a political agenda than on providing original research. This shift in the think tank landscape has resulted in a decline in the percentage of scholars holding Ph.D. degrees, a greater reliance on shorter-term funding models, and a greater emphasis on media visibility and political engagement. This trend has the potential to diminish the value of think tanks by increasing the likelihood of self-censorship and reducing the credibility of their work in the eyes of policymakers. – AI-generated abstract