The most-cited U.S. think tanks

Via John Hood, here’s a list of the most-cited U.S. think tanks in 2007, according to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR), a left-leaning media watchdog: Brookings Institution (2,380) Council on Foreign Relations (1,191) American Enterprise Institute (1,171) Heritage Foundation (1,168) Center for Strategic and International Studies (1,068) RAND Corporation (740) Kaiser Family Foundation (706) ...

Via John Hood, here's a list of the most-cited U.S. think tanks in 2007, according to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR), a left-leaning media watchdog:

Via John Hood, here’s a list of the most-cited U.S. think tanks in 2007, according to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR), a left-leaning media watchdog:

  1. Brookings Institution (2,380)
  2. Council on Foreign Relations (1,191)
  3. American Enterprise Institute (1,171)
  4. Heritage Foundation (1,168)
  5. Center for Strategic and International Studies (1,068)
  6. RAND Corporation (740)
  7. Kaiser Family Foundation (706)
  8. Center for American Progress (673)
  9. Cato Institute (640)
  10. Urban Institute (558)

Interestingly, FAIR says that the overall number of citations of think-tank experts declined by nearly 20 percent last year, a finding for which "there is no ready explanation." FAIR notes that the larger foreign-policy-oriented think tanks such as CFR saw their citations decline, while places like the Wilson Center and our own Carnegie Endowment for International Peace saw increases.

From my own experience, I’d say the rankings have as much to do with media accessibility as they do with expertise. Experts at Brookings and CFR tend to be far more responsive and accessible than, for instance, the folks at RAND. For journalists working on a deadine, that’s extremely helpful.

Tag: Media

More from Foreign Policy

Newspapers in Tehran feature on their front page news about the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, signed in Beijing the previous day, on March, 11 2023.
Newspapers in Tehran feature on their front page news about the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, signed in Beijing the previous day, on March, 11 2023.

Saudi-Iranian Détente Is a Wake-Up Call for America

The peace plan is a big deal—and it’s no accident that China brokered it.

Austin and Gallant stand at podiums side by side next to each others' national flags.
Austin and Gallant stand at podiums side by side next to each others' national flags.

The U.S.-Israel Relationship No Longer Makes Sense

If Israel and its supporters want the country to continue receiving U.S. largesse, they will need to come up with a new narrative.

Russian President Vladimir Putin lays flowers at the Moscow Kremlin Wall in the Alexander Garden during an event marking Defender of the Fatherland Day in Moscow.
Russian President Vladimir Putin lays flowers at the Moscow Kremlin Wall in the Alexander Garden during an event marking Defender of the Fatherland Day in Moscow.

Putin Is Trapped in the Sunk-Cost Fallacy of War

Moscow is grasping for meaning in a meaningless invasion.

An Iranian man holds a newspaper reporting the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, in Tehran on March 11.
An Iranian man holds a newspaper reporting the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, in Tehran on March 11.

How China’s Saudi-Iran Deal Can Serve U.S. Interests

And why there’s less to Beijing’s diplomatic breakthrough than meets the eye.