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Recycling bins, garbage cans or think tanks? Three myths regarding policy analysis institutes

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Stone, Diane, 1964-. (2007) Recycling bins, garbage cans or think tanks? Three myths regarding policy analysis institutes. Public Administration, Vol.85 (No.2). pp. 259-278. ISSN 0033-3298

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9299.2007.00649.x

Abstract

The phrase 'think tank' has become ubiquitous – overworked and underspecified – in the political lexicon. It is entrenched in scholarly discussions of public policy as well as in the 'policy wonk' of journalists, lobbyists and spin-doctors. This does not mean that there is an agreed definition of think tank or consensual understanding of their roles and functions. Nevertheless, the majority of organizations with this label undertake policy research of some kind. The idea of think tanks as a research communication 'bridge' presupposes that there are discernible boundaries between (social) science and policy. This paper will investigate some of these boundaries. The frontiers are not only organizational and legal; they also exist in how the 'public interest' is conceived by these bodies and their financiers. Moreover, the social interactions and exchanges involved in 'bridging', themselves muddy the conception of 'boundary', allowing for analysis to go beyond the dualism imposed in seeing science on one side of the bridge, and the state on the other, to address the complex relations between experts and public policy.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	J Political Science > JN Political institutions (Europe) > JN101 Great Britain J Political Science > JA Political science (General)
Divisions:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Politics and International Studies
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Research institutes, Politics, Practical, Communication -- Political aspects, Policy scientists
Journal or Publication Title:	Public Administration
Publisher:	Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
ISSN:	0033-3298
Date:	June 2007
Volume:	Vol.85
Number:	No.2
Page Range:	pp. 259-278
Identification Number:	10.1111/j.1467-9299.2007.00649.x
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Access rights to Published version:	Open Access
Funder:	Sixth Framework Programme (European Commission) (FP6)
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URI:	http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/id/eprint/1798