The Power of Knowledge: How Think Tanks Impact US Foreign Policy

IF 1.7 2区社会学 Q2 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Foreign Policy Analysis Pub Date : 2021-10-09 DOI:10.1093/fpa/orab034

Dmitry G. Zaytsev, Valentina V. Kuskova, A. Kononova

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Abstract

Studies on foreign policy consider government as the key actor in policy formulation and implementation. Research, apparently, has devoted far less attention to impact of knowledge brokers, such as think tanks, on policy-making. How and why do think tanks influence US foreign policy? An analysis of five think tanks that differ in terms of their proximity to elites, origin, and ideology reveals two types of nonstate actors’ impact on foreign policy. Think tanks either advocate for own alternative policy proposals, solutions, and actions (“alternatives’ facilitators”), or clarify, justify, and legitimize those of the governments (“policy legitimizers”). These two roles dictate special mechanisms and think tank impact directions. In the first type, think tanks are less oriented toward mass media, but more oriented toward coalitions with nonstate actors and influence the opinions of elites. The second type is the opposite: higher orientation toward mass media and more pronounced connections with elites, and influence on the public. Different origins and strategy of think tanks may be the reasons for some observed differences.

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知识的力量:智库如何影响美国外交政策

外交政策研究认为，政府是政策制定和实施的关键角色。显然，研究很少关注智库等知识中介对政策制定的影响。智库如何以及为什么影响美国的外交政策？对五个在接近精英、出身和意识形态方面不同的智库进行的分析揭示了两种类型的非国家行为者对外交政策的影响。智库要么倡导自己的替代政策提案、解决方案和行动（“替代方案”促进者），要么澄清、证明和合法化政府的建议、解决方案或行动（“政策合法化者”）。这两个角色决定了特殊的机制和智库的影响方向。在第一种类型中，智库不太倾向于大众媒体，而是更倾向于与非国家行为者结盟，并影响精英的意见。第二种则相反：更倾向于大众媒体，与精英阶层的联系更为明显，对公众的影响力更大。智库的不同起源和策略可能是观察到的一些差异的原因。

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来源期刊

Foreign Policy Analysis INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS-

CiteScore

3.60

自引率

9.10%

发文量

期刊介绍： Reflecting the diverse, comparative and multidisciplinary nature of the field, Foreign Policy Analysis provides an open forum for research publication that enhances the communication of concepts and ideas across theoretical, methodological, geographical and disciplinary boundaries. By emphasizing accessibility of content for scholars of all perspectives and approaches in the editorial and review process, Foreign Policy Analysis serves as a source for efforts at theoretical and methodological integration and deepening the conceptual debates throughout this rich and complex academic research tradition. Foreign policy analysis, as a field of study, is characterized by its actor-specific focus. The underlying, often implicit argument is that the source of international politics and change in international politics is human beings, acting individually or in groups. In the simplest terms, foreign policy analysis is the study of the process, effects, causes or outputs of foreign policy decision-making in either a comparative or case-specific manner.