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Think Tanks and Global Politics: Key Spaces in the Structure of Power

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Abstract

The aim of this book is to go beyond the largely descriptive accounts of think tanks that currently dominate the literature. This means it is necessary to look analytically at the place in society occupied by think tanks, together with their control of global resources, both in the economic and political policy fields, and their inroads into structures of power. To advance in this direction, the following questions are addressed: How have think tanks reached positions of power? Who funds and controls them and for what purpose? How is policy-making knowledge created? How are new policy ideas propagated and validated? This means looking at intrinsic connections between think tanks and power—either coercive or consensual—and how these organizations are also mechanisms whereby elites construct, exercise and challenge power, particularly through knowledge production, concentration, and mobilization.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico

    Alejandra Salas-Porras

  2. Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, Australia

    Georgina Murray

Authors
  1. Alejandra Salas-Porras
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  2. Georgina Murray
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico

    Alejandra Salas-Porras

  2. Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia

    Georgina Murray

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Salas-Porras, A., Murray, G. (2017). Think Tanks and Global Politics: Key Spaces in the Structure of Power. In: Salas-Porras, A., Murray, G. (eds) Think Tanks and Global Politics. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-56756-7_1

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