Library: News and Media Resources: Advocacy-Based Think Tanks

Definition of Advocay-Based Think Tanks

Think Tank reports provide research on "issues," ranging from climate change to human rights to development financing. They carry the credibility of groups of well-credentialed experts within a field, but at the same time, provide research and conclusions that are in the context of clearly identified perspectives related to "advocacy" for particular causes.

Think Tank Biases and Agendas

Depending on its "mission", a think tank may purposely, knowingly, and forthrightly have biases or "agendas." Biases are not necessarily bad. Bias can actually be good, as long as the bias is recognized. It's important to identify the bias of the particular think tank as it reflects its mission.

Check these sites to identify biases of specific organizations:

Media bias/Fact Check Among other factors, they evaluate a think tank's funding sources.
Transparify Provides "global rating of the financial transparency of major think tanks." It has examined the websites of more than 150 think tanks in 40 countries and rated them with regard to the think tanks' reporting of their funding.

Finding Think Tanks

Global Go To Think Tank Index Report A repository from U of Penn. Provides numerous lists, including "Top Think Tanks in the World." that lists by regions, by areas of research, and by many other designations. Public searches cover 2,600 think tanks. The university maintains an in-house database of 8,100 think tanks from around the world.
Open Think Directory A collection of more than 2,600 think tanks and related organizations from around the world. Search by location and topic.

How they lean

Council on Foreign Relations Content is is extensively varied/ Aims to inform government officials, business executives, journalists, educators and students, civic and religious leaders, and interested citizens.
Kaiser Family Foundation A non-profit organization focusing on national health issues, as well as the U.S. role in global health policy. Serves as a non-partisan source of facts, analysis and journalism for policymakers, the media, the health policy community and the public. Includes reports, fact sheets, polls, charts, interactive maps, and other graphics.

American Enterprise Insitute A public policy think tank "dedicated to defending human dignity, expanding human potential, and building a freer and safer world."Their ideas are rooted in their belief in democracy, free enterprise, American strength, global leadership, and entrepreneurial culture. The site includes reports, journal articles, one-pagers, testimonies, working papers, and more.
Bipartisan Policy Center "Actively fosters bipartisanship by combining the best ideas from both parties to promote health, security, and opportunity for all Americans."

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities They pursue federal and state policies designed both "to reduce poverty and inequality and to restore fiscal responsibility in equitable and effective ways."