Research Institutes     [Text-only version for printing]     [back to graphical version]
What is a think tank? [http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Think-tank]  What kinds of information can you get from a think tank? If you are writing a paper on a controversial topic or if you just want to look at a public policy issue from a specific political perspective, a think tank can be helpful. You will find articles, reports, research studies, white papers, and other position pieces. Be aware, however, that each think tank views the world through a specific lens. It is best to use a variety of think tanks to be sure you are exposed to all sides of an issue. For timely articles on policy issues, this subject guide also links to selected online versions of journals with a liberal or conservative bent. Remember to use the archives at each journal for older, but still relevant, articles.

Web Site Links    

Think Tanks from Disinfopedia     http://www.disinfopedia.org/wiki.phtml?title=Think_tanks
This is also a long list of think tanks that is collaboratively written and edited by many people with an interest in this topic. It is a project of PR Watch, which in turn is a project of the "Center for Media & Democracy". Many listings contain a description of the think tank, its aims and priorities, funding sources, personnel, and contact information.

Political Science Resources Think Tanks     http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/psthink.html
This is a major, comprehensive Web site from the University of Michigan Documents Center. In it you will find links to individual think tanks and working papers as well as additional sources for think tanks.

NIRA's World Directory of Think Tanks 2002     http://www.nira.go.jp/ice/nwdtt/idx1/idxc1.html#United3
The National Institute for Research Advancement has compiled this directory which "provides up-to-date information on 320 think tanks selected from 77 countries and regions."

Think Tanks and Public Interest Organizations     http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/politics/thnktank.htm
From the U.S. government web site InfoUSA.

Think Tanks and Research Institutes     http://www.people.virginia.edu/~rjb3v/T-tanks.html
This list is compiled by Colgate University and features helpful annotations that describe each think tank.

Liberal-leaning Think Tanks/Organizations

Center for Policy Alternatives     http://www.cfpa.org/

Center for National Policy     http://www.cnponline.org/

Institute for Policy Studies     http://www.ips-dc.org/

Open Society Institute     http://www.soros.org/

People for the American Way     http://www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/

Project Censored     http://www.projectcensored.org/default.html

Common Dreams     http://www.commondreams.org/community.htm

Liberal-leaning Journals

American Prospect     http://www.prospect.org/

Atlantic Monthly     http://www.theatlantic.com/

Dissent     http://www.dissentmagazine.org/

Mother Jones   http://www.motherjones.com/mother_jones/mother_jones.html

The Nation     http://www.thenation.com/

New Republic     http://www.tnr.com/

The Progressive     http://www.progressive.org/

Washington Monthly     http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/

 

Conservative-leaning Think Tanks/Organizations

American Enterprise Institute     http://www.aei.org/

The Cato Institute      http://www.cato.org/

Heritage Foundation     http://www.heritage.org/

Hoover Institution     http://www-hoover.stanford.edu/

Hudson Institute     http://www.hudson.org/

Manhattan Institute     http://www.manhattan-institute.org/

Townhall.com     http://www.townhall.com/members/

Conservative-leaning Journals

American Spectator     http://www.spectator.org/

Human Events     http://www.humaneventsonline.com/index.php

National Interest     http://www.nationalinterest.org/

National Review     http://www.nationalreview.com/

New American     http://www.thenewamerican.com/

New Criterion     http://www.newcriterion.com/

Public Interest     http://www.thepublicinterest.com/

Weekly Standard     http://www.weeklystandard.com/

 

Organizations that characterize themselves as non-partisan

Economic Policy Institute     http://www.epinet.org/

Public Agenda Online     http://www.publicagenda.org/


Articles
The Rio Hondo College Library provides online access to full-text articles through our online databases - http://library.riohondo.edu/online_databases/index.htm.  Please note:  you must be a Rio Hondo College student, faculty, staff or board member to use these services.

The 2 sample searches below are from the ProQuest database.  Use Advanced Search and type each term in a separate box:

    1.  SUB(think tanks) and SUB(policy making))
    2.  (think tanks) and SUB(social policy)

Disinfopedia - External Links to articles     http://www.disinfopedia.org/wiki.phtml?title=Think_tanks#External_links

Researched and evaluated by:
J. Coe, Librarian, 4/2004

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