Brookings Institution
The Brookings Institution, often stylized as Brookings,[3] is an American think tank that conducts research and education in the social sciences, primarily in economics (and tax policy), metropolitan policy, governance, foreign policy, global economy, and economic development.[4][5]
Abbreviation
Brookings
1916
53-0196577
1775 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.
- Washington, D.C., U.S.
$86.28 million[1]
$93.372 million[1]
$355.2 million (2020)[2]
Institute for Government Research
Brookings has five research programs: Economic Studies,[6] Foreign Policy,[7] Governance Studies,[8] Global Economy and Development,[9] and Brookings Metro.[10] It also operated three international centers: in Doha, Qatar (Brookings Doha Center);[11] Beijing, China (Brookings-Tsinghua Center for Public Policy);[12] and New Delhi, India (Brookings India).[13] In 2020 and 2021, the Institution announced it was separating entirely from its centers in Doha and New Delhi, and transitioning its center in Beijing to an informal partnership with Tsinghua University, known as Brookings-Tsinghua China.[14]
The University of Pennsylvania's Global Go To Think Tank Index Report has named Brookings "Think Tank of the Year" and "Top Think Tank in the World" every year since 2008.[15] The Economist described Brookings as "perhaps America's most prestigious think-tank."[16]
Brookings states that its staff "represent diverse points of view" and describes itself as nonpartisan.[17] Media outlets have variously described Brookings as centrist,[18] conservative,[19] liberal,[20] center-right,[21] and center-left.[22] An academic analysis of congressional records from 1993 to 2002 found that Brookings was cited by conservative politicians almost as often as by liberal politicians, earning a score of 53 on a 1–100 scale, with 100 representing the most liberal score.[23] The same study found Brookings to be the most frequently cited think tank by U.S. media and politicians.[23]
Publications[edit]
Brookings as an institution produces an Annual Report.[52] The Brookings Institution Press publishes books and journals from the institution's own research as well as authors outside the organization.[53] The books and journals it publishes include Brookings Papers on Economic Activity,[54] Brookings Review (1982–2003, ISSN 0745-1253),[55][56] America Unbound: The Bush Revolution in Foreign Policy, Globalphobia: Confronting Fears about Open Trade, India: Emerging Power, Through Their Eyes, Taking the High Road, Masses in Flight, US Public Policy Regarding Sovereign Wealth Fund Investment in the United States[57] and Stalemate. In addition, books, papers, articles, reports, policy briefs and opinion pieces are produced by Brookings research programs, centers, projects and, for the most part, by experts.[58][59] Brookings also cooperates with The Lawfare Institute in publishing the online multimedia publication Lawfare.[60]
Policy influence[edit]
Brookings traces its history to 1916 and has contributed to the creation of the United Nations, the Marshall Plan, and the Congressional Budget Office, as well as to the development of influential policies for deregulation, broad-based tax reform, welfare reform, and foreign aid.[61] The annual think tank index published by Foreign Policy ranks it the number one think tank in the U.S.[62] and the Global Go To Think Tank Index believes it is the number one such tank in the world.[63] Moreover, in spite of an overall decline in the number of times information or opinions developed by think tanks are cited by U.S. media, of the 200 most prominent think tanks in the U.S., the Brookings Institution's research remains the most frequently cited.[64][65]
In a 1997 survey of congressional staff and journalists, Brookings ranked as the most influential and first in credibility among 27 think tanks considered.[66] Yet "Brookings and its researchers are not so concerned, in their work, in affecting the ideological direction of the nation" and rather tend "to be staffed by researchers with strong academic credentials".[66] Along with the Council on Foreign Relations and Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Brookings is generally considered one of the most influential policy institutes in the U.S.[67]
Political stance[edit]
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Brookings describes itself as independent and nonpartisan. A 2005 UCLA study concluded it was "centrist" because it was referenced as an authority almost equally by both conservative and liberal politicians in congressional records from 1993 to 2002.[23] The New York Times has called Brookings liberal, liberal-centrist, and centrist.[68][18][69][70][71][72] The Washington Post has called Brookings centrist, liberal, and center-left.[73][74][75][76][22] The Los Angeles Times called Brookings liberal-leaning and centrist before opining that it did not believe such labels mattered.[77][78][79][80]
In 1977, Time magazine called Brookings the "nation's pre-eminent liberal think tank".[81] Newsweek has called it centrist[82] and Politico has used the term "center-left".[83]
The media watchdog group Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, which describes itself as "progressive",[84] has called Brookings "centrist",[64][85] "conservative",[19] and "center-right".[21]
Journalists at The Atlantic and Salon have argued that Brookings foreign policy scholars were overly supportive of Bush administration policies abroad.[86][87]
Brookings scholars have served in Republican and Democratic administrations, including Mark McClellan,[88] Ron Haskins[89] and Martin Indyk.[90][91]
Brookings's board of trustees is composed of 53 trustees and more than three dozen honorary trustees, including Kenneth Duberstein, a former chief of staff to Ronald Reagan. Aside from political figures, the board of trustees includes leaders in business and industry, including Haim Saban, Robert Bass, Hanzade Doğan Boyner, Paul L. Cejas, W. Edmund Clark, Abby Joseph Cohen, Betsy Cohen, Susan Crown, Arthur B. Culvahouse Jr., Jason Cummins, Paul Desmarais Jr., Kenneth M. Duberstein, Glenn Hutchins, and Philip H. Knight (chairman emeritus of Nike, Inc).[92]
Since its incorporation as the Brookings Institution in 1927, it has been led by accomplished academics and public servants. Brookings has had eleven presidents, including three in acting capacity.[93] The current president is Cecilia Rouse, who replaced acting President Amy Liu, who began serving in January, 2024.[94]
Brookings Institution
清華-布魯金斯公共政策研究中心
清华-布鲁金斯公共政策研究中心
Qīnghuá-bù Lǔjīnsī Gōnggòng Zhèngcè Yánjiū Zhōngxīn
Qīnghuá-bù Lǔjīnsī Gōnggòng Zhèngcè Yánjiū Zhōngxīn
Research programs[edit]
Center for Middle East Policy[edit]
In 2002, the Brookings Institution established the Center for Middle East Policy "to promote a better understanding of the policy choices facing American decision-makers in the Middle East".[99]
Funders[edit]
Funding details[edit]
As of 2017 the Brookings Institution had assets of $524.2 million.[1] Its largest contributors include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Hutchins Family Foundation, JPMorgan Chase, the LEGO Foundation, David Rubenstein, State of Qatar, and John L. Thornton.
Buildings[edit]
The main building of the Institution was erected in 1959 on 1775 Massachusetts Avenue. In 2009, Brookings acquired a building across the street, a former mansion built by the Ingalls family in 1922 on a design by Jules Henri de Sibour.[113] This extension now houses the office of the President of the Brookings Institution.