Think Tanks

Associations in this field represent those who endeavor to find solutions to national and international problems.

Resources in this category:

The African Development Institute, Inc.
http://www.africainstitute.com/

"The African Development Institute Inc., is an independent, non partisan policy research institute aimed at initiating practical solutions to Africa's developmental crisis. Through education, research, and policy analysis the organization hopes to be a catalyst for developing the human and material potential of Africans. The organization challenges policies that has lead to the stagnation of Africa's development and offers alternative strategies towards continental self sufficiency."

The Alexis de Tocqueville Institution
http://www.adti.net/

"Since 1988, the Alexis de Tocqueville Institution has studied the spread and perfection of democracy around the world. In this, we follow the principles of Tocqueville himself, while claiming no unique mandate to represent them. Among these liberal ideas are civil liberty, political equality, and economic freedom and opportunity."

American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research
http://www.aei.org/

"The American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research is dedicated to preserving and strengthening the foundations of freedom‹ government, private enterprise, vital cultural and political institutions, and a strong foreign policy and national defense‹ scholarly research, open debate, and publications. Founded in 1943 and located in Washington, D.C., AEI is one of America's largest and most respected 'think tanks.'"

American Institute for Contemporary German Studies
http://www.aicgs.org/index.aspx

"The American Institute for Contemporary German Studies (AICGS) is a center for advanced research, study and discussion of the Federal Republic of Germany: its politics, economy, culture, and society. Established in 1984 and affiliated with the The Johns Hopkins University, AICGS is a privately incorporated institute dedicated to independent and critical analysis and assessment. The fundamental purposes of the Institute are: a) to help develop a new generation of American scholars with a thorough understanding of contemporary Germany; b) to deepen American knowledge and understanding of current German developments; c) to contribute to American policy analysis of problems relating to Germany."

Aspen Institute
http://www.aspeninstitute.org/

"The Aspen Institute is an international nonprofit educational institution dedicated to serving leaders throughout the world. The mission of The Aspen Institute is to enhance the quality of leadership through informed dialogue about the timeless ideas and values of the world's great cultures and traditions as they relate to the foremost challenges facing societies, organizations, and individuals. The Seminar Programs enable leaders to draw on these values to enrich their understanding of contemporary issues. The Policy Programs frame the choices that democratic societies face in terms of the enduring ideas and values derived from those traditions. The Aspen Institute is an impartial and nonpartisan forum. It convenes men and women who represent diverse viewpoints and backgrounds from business, labor, government, the professions, the arts, and the nonprofit sector with a view to informing their decisions and enhancing their effectiveness."

The Atlantic Council of the United States
http://www.acus.org/

"The Atlantic Council is a non-partisan network of leaders in the policy, academic and corporate communities who are convinced of the pivotal importance of effective U.S. foreign policy and the cohesion of U.S. international relationships. The Council is committed to enhancing U.S. initiative and leadership through sound and skillfully administered policies that identify and pursue national interests in a framework of global interdependence, and through the education of future leaders."

Atlantic Institute for Market Studies
http://www.aims.ca/

"AIMS is an independent economic and social policy think tank. Our role includes: sponsoring research of the highest standards of objectivity and comprehensiveness, with a view to determining whether and to what extent market-based solutions can be successfully applied to the myriad social and economic problems facing Atlantic Canada; communicating the results of that research to the broadest possible audience of policy makers, opinion leaders, business people, professionals, academics, interest groups, students and the general public both regionally and nationally."

Atlas Economic Research Foundation
http://www.atlasusa.org/V2/main/

"Atlas Economic Research Foundation helps to create and develop independent public policy research organizations internationally by providing intellectual entrepreneurs with advice, financial support, workshops, and access to a network of leaders who share a commitment to achieving a free society. Atlas encourages financial, intellectual, and political independence."

The Bionomics Institute
http://www.bionomics.org/

"The Bionomics Institute is a nonprofit educational foundation dedicated to replacing the traditional, mechanistic view of the economy with economy-as-ecosystem thinking. The Bionomics Institute seeks to educate corporate leaders, policy makers, and the general public about bionomics. The Bionomics Institute pursues these objectives through public conferences, executive seminars, and publications."

British American Security Information Council
http://www.basicint.org/

"BASIC is an independent research organization that analyzes government policies and promote public awareness of defense, disarmament, military strategy and nuclear policies in order to foster informed debate."

The Brookings Institution
http://www.brookings.edu/

³The Brookings Institution is the nation's oldest think tank. A private, independent, nonprofit research organization, Brookings seeks to improve the performance of American institutions, the effectiveness of government programs, and the quality of U.S. public policies. It addresses current and emerging policy challenges and offers practical recommendations for dealing with them, expressed in language that is accessible to policy makers and the general public alike.² This site has information about current affairs that are being researched. It has information about current research programs in Economics, Foreign Policy and Governmental. This also has selected articles from The Brookings Review and information about fellowships and Internships.

CATO Institute
http://www.cato.org/

³Founded in 1977, the Cato Institute is a nonpartisan public policy research foundation headquartered in Washington, D.C. The Institute is named for Cato's Letters,libertarian pamphlets that helped lay the philosophical foundation for the American Revolution. The Cato Institute seeks to broaden the parameters of public policy debate to allow consideration of more options that are consistent with the traditional American principles of limited government, individual liberty, and peace. Toward that goal, the Institute strives to achieve greater involvement of the intelligent, concerned lay public in questions of policy and the proper role of government. The Cato Institute undertakes an extensive publications program dealing with the complete spectrum of policy issues. Books, monographs, and shorter studies are commissioned to examine the federal budget, Social Security, monetary policy, natural resource policy, military spending, regulation, NATO, international trade, and myriad other issues. Major policy conferences are held throughout the year, from which papers are published thrice yearly in the Cato Journal. The Institute also publishes the quarterly magazine Regulation.² This site has information about research areas, job openings, internships, news and CATO events.

Center for Bioethics--Bioethics Internet Project
http://www.bioethics.upenn.edu/

"The Center for Bioethics is an interdisciplinary, interprofessional unit of the University of Pennsylvania Health System in Philadelphia. The Center's mission is to advance scholarly and public understanding of ethical, legal, social and public policy issues in health care. Center faculty conduct research on key issues in bioethics, and are especially concerned with ethical issues in genetics, pediatrics, critical care, health policy, human experimentation and long-term care."

The Center for Democracy and Technology
http://www.cdt.org/

³The Center For Democracy and Technology is a non-profit public interest organization based in Washington DC. The Center's mission is to develop and advocate public policies that advance constitutional civil liberties and democratic values in new computer and communications technologies.² This site has the latest headlines concerning CDT, has positions concerning legislations dealing with computer and communications technologies.

Center for Equal Opportunity
http://www.ceousa.org/

"As the only think tank devoted exclusively to the promotion of colorblind equal opportunity and racial harmony, the Center for Equal Opportunity is uniquely positioned to counter the divisive impact of race conscious public policies. CEO focuses on three areas in particular: racial preferences, immigration and assimilation, and multicultural education."

Center for Immigration Studies
http://www.cis.org/

"The Center for Immigration Studies is a non-partisan, non-profit organization founded in 1985. It is the nation's only think tank devoted exclusively to research and policy analysis of the economic, social, demographic, fiscal, and other impacts of immigration on the United States. " Site offers a list of the organization's publications, links to related web sites and a searchable Employers Sanctions Database which includes all employers cited for the knowing hire or continuing employment of illegal aliens.

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

"The Center for Policy Alternatives is the nation's leading non-profit, non-partisan public policy and leadership development center devoted to community-based solutions that strengthen families and communities. CPA links elected leaders across the fifty states with private and non-profit sector leaders in the search for common ground, new ideas and resources to create solutions that work."

Center for Responsive Politics
http://www.opensecrets.org/

"The Center for Responsive Politics is a non-partisan, non-profit research group based in Washington, D.C. that specializes in the study of Congress and particularly the role that money plays in its elections and actions. The Center conducts computer-based research on campaign finance issues for the news media, academics, activists, and other interested observers of Congress." On the site, you can find out where each candidate for Congress gets his or her money as well as the names of individual contributors to a candidate, member of Congress, party committee, etc.

The Center for Strategic & Budgetary Assessments
http://www.csbaonline.org/

"CSBA is taking the lead in analyzing the implications of the emerging military revolution for U.S. strategic planning, the defense industrial base and defense budgets. CSBA also is exploring the implications of emerging technologies on the nuclear forces, the military revolution and unconventional warfare, the Air Force of 2016, U.S. budgets, nonproliferation & counterproliferation programs , and restructuring the US Navy for a new era, among other topical issues, including: the annual defense budget request, Congressional defense authorization and appropriations, weapons program decisions, military R&D, and funding innovation."

Center for the American Woman and Politics
http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~cawp/

"The Center for the American Woman and Politics (CAWP) is a university-based research, education and public service center. Its mission is to promote greater understanding and knowledge about women's relationship to politics and government and to enhance women's influence and leadership in public life. A unit of the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, CAWP is a leading authority in its field and a respected bridge between the academic and political worlds."

Center For the Study of the Presidency
http://www.cspresidency.org/

"The Center for the Study of the Presidency is the foremost educational institution in the United States devoted to the study of the Presidency, government and politics. It seeks to further the understanding of the American Presidency and its related institutions and, thereby, to educate, illuminate and inspire leaders for today and tomorrow. The Center offers a variety of events and activities."

This site has information on upcoming events and activities, information on the Center's publications, and selected essays about the Presidency.

Center for Urban Policy Research
http://www.policy.rutgers.edu/cupr/

"For nearly three decades, the Center for Urban Policy Research has informed policymakers and scholars with its broad spectrum of applied research. CUPR is known and respected nationally and abroad for independent and rigorous analyses of housing, land use, urban poverty, community change, economic development and forecasting, and environmental policy‹and its areas of inquiry continue to expand. Not content to be solely an ivory tower academic research institution, CUPR brings its wide-ranging expertise to bear on the practical applications of its analyses to policy design and implementation. The Center¹s multidisciplinary team members have backgrounds in city and regional planning, economics, public administration, regional science, sociology, urban geography, computer programming, geographic information systems, and statistics."

Centre for Defence and International Security Studies
http://www.cdiss.org/

"An inter-disciplinary research centre based in the Department of Politics and International Relations at Lancaster University in the UK. CDISS exists to research, raise awareness and stimulate debate on a wide range of defence and security issues relevant to both the UK and the International Community. This site gives an overview of the Centre, its personnel and its output, and provides access to material from our research activities and publications."

Council on Foreign Relations
http://www.cfr.org/

"The Council on Foreign Relations is a nonpartisan membership organization, research center, and publisher. It is dedicated to increasing America's understanding of the world and contributing ideas to U.S. foreign policy."

Empower America
http://www.empoweramerica.org/

³Founded in 1993, Empower America is a unique combination of public policy institute and grassroots political organization whose mission is to promote progressive conservative public policies at both the state and national level based on the principles of economic growth, international leadership, and cultural empowerment. Empower America pursues this mission by integrating creative and forceful public policy formation with an aggressive communication strategy and grassroots mobilization that markets those policies to its primary audiences: grassroots activists, national, state, and local elected officials and the news media, and the academic and policy communities. Empower America's products include publications, articles, conferences, candidates, schools, and policy seminars.² Here you will find biographies of the founders of Empower America, press releases, online form for further information, congressional testimony, and speeches.

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

"Founded in 1973, The Heritage Foundation is a research and educational institute -- a think tank -- whose 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. Heritage's staff pursues this mission by performing timely accurate research addressing key policy issues and effectively marketing these findings to its primary audiences: members of Congress, key congressional staff members, policymakers in the executive branch, the nation's news media, and the academic and policy communities. Heritage's products include publications, articles, lectures, conferences, and meetings." Here you will find an online membership form, a job bank, publications such as Policy Review, and has current headline information concerning the foundation.

Lincoln Institute of Land Policy
http://www.lincolninst.edu/

The mission of the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy is "to study and teach about land policy, including land economics and land taxation...The Institute's goals are to integrate the theory and practice of land use and taxation and to understand the multidisciplinary forces that influence them." The site includes publications, conference listings, and research findings.

The Progress & Freedom Foundation
http://www.pff.org/

The Progress & Freedom Foundation was founded in 1993 to study the digital revolution and its implications for public policy. The Foundation believes that the digital revolution portends fundamental cultural, economic, political and social changes. The Foundation's public policy work focuses heavily on communications, computing and telecommunications. It has funded research, published papers and held conferences and seminars on issues such as content regulation, encryption, local telephone competition and universal service. The Foundation also studies the use of digital technologies by government and in the marketplace.
The site includes selected papers and news articles, plus information for ordering publications from the Foundation.

Rural Policy Research Institute
http://www.rupri.org/

"The Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI) conducts policy-relevant research and facilitates public dialogue to assist policymakers in understanding the rural impacts of public policies and programs." The organization's searchable site includes publications information, events listings, and links to policy-related resources on the Web.

Carter Center
http://www.cartercenter.org/

"The Carter Center in Atlanta, Ga., is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy institute founded by former President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, in 1982. The Center is dedicated to fighting disease, hunger, poverty, conflict, and oppression through collaborative initiatives in the areas of democratization and development, global health, and urban revitalization. At present, the Center operates 13 core programs and initiatives active in more than 30 countries, including the United States." This site has an update of news events around the world, information about The Carter Center, recent reports and speeches from President Carter can be ordered, and recent news from the Carter Center can be accessed.

National Election Studies
http://www.umich.edu/~nes/

³The mission of the National Election Studies (NES) is to produce high quality data on voting, public opinion, and political participation that serve the research needs of social scientists, teachers, and students concerned with understanding the theoretical and empirical foundations of mass politics in a democratic society. Central to this mission is the active involvement of the NES user community in all phases of the project from study planning through data analysis.² Here you fill find 1996 National Election study, online resources for Recemt NES Studies, online membership form, Comparative Study of Electoral System. If logging on using FTP, at the login prompt type ³anonymous² and no password is necessary.

RAND Corporation
http://www.rand.org/

³RAND is a nonprofit institution that helps improve public policy through research and analysis. From its inception in the days following World War II, RAND has focused on the nation's most pressing policy problems. High-quality, objective research on national security became the institution's first hallmark. In the 1960s, RAND research and analysis began addressing problems of domestic policy. Today, RAND's broad research agenda helps policymakers strengthen the nation's economy, maintain its security, and improve its quality of life by helping them make choices in education, health care, national defense, and criminal and civil justice, among many other areas.² This site has special topics in current RAND research, information on RAND membership program and alumni, and information about current research.

The Urban Institute
http://www.urban.org/

"The Urban Institute investigates social and economic problems confronting the nation and analyzes efforts to solve these problems. The Institute seeks to increase Americans' awareness of important public choices and improve the formulation and implementation of government decisions." Site includes a "Frequently Asked Questions" section and an extensive research database where users can browse or search by topic, author, or center name.