McGann, James

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International Relations
International and Area Studies
Other Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration
Policy Design, Analysis, and Evaluation
Political Science
Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration
Public Policy

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Position

Senior Lecturer, International Studies

Introduction

“Helping to bridge the gap between knowledge and policy" The mission of the Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program (TTCSP) at the University of Pennsylvania is to increase the profile, capacity, and performance of think tanks at the national, regional, and global levels, so they can better serve policy makers and the public. TTCSP conducts research on the relationship between think tanks, politics, and public policy, produces the annual Global Go To Think Tank Index, develops capacity-building resources and programs, supports a global network of close to 7,000 think tanks, and trains future think tank scholars and executives.

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Now showing 1 - 10 of 39
  • Publication
    2017 Africa Think Tank Summit Report: Fit for the Future: Enhancing the Capacity, Quality, and Sustainability of Africa's Think Tanks
    (2017-01-01) McGann, James G
    Discussions were organized around the following three key themes and were designed to feature some of the best practices and innovation strategies, products and programs that have been developed in Africa and other regions of the world: 1. Enhancing the Capacity and Quality of Think Tank Research and Public Engagement: The national and regional development requires finely tuned research, analysis and engagements capacities. Think tanks can only contribute to the development of effective and responsive policies by conducting evidence based research and effectively engaging both policymakers and the public in policy issues that are key to Africa’s development. 2. Making Africa’s Think-Tanks Fit for Purpose: Think tanks can only carry out the above tasks if they have the requisite internal capacities and resources to undertake these tasks. What are the best strategies and structures (i.e. institutional architecture) for the policy and funding environment in Africa? Specifically what structures, staffing patterns and strategies, products, methods are best suited for the policy and funding environment in Africa? 3. Creating a Sustainable Future for Think Tanks in Africa: The Forum featured some of the best practices and innovative strategies, products and programs that have been developed in Africa and other regions of the world.
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    2013 Global Go To Think Tank Index Report
    (2014-01-22) McGann, James G
    Background The Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program (TTCSP) at the University of Pennsylvania conducts research on the role policy institutes play in governments and civil societies around the world. Often referred to as the “think tanks’ think tank,” TTCSP examines the evolving role and character of public policy research organizations. Over the last 25 years, the TTCSP has developed and led a series of global initiatives that have helped bridge the gap between knowledge and policy in critical policy areas such as international peace and security, globalization and governance, international economics, environmental issues, information and society, poverty alleviation, and healthcare and global health. These international collaborative efforts are designed to establish regional and international networks of policy institutes and communities that improve policy making while strengthening democratic institutions and civil societies around the world. The TTCSP works with leading scholars and practitioners from think tanks and universities in a variety of collaborative efforts and programs, and produces the annual Global Go To Think Tank Index that ranks the world’s leading think tanks in a variety of categories. This is achieved with the help of a panel of over 1,900 peer institutions and experts from the print and electronic media, academia, public and private donor institutions, and governments around the world. We have strong relationships with leading think tanks around the world, and our annual Think Tank Index is used by academics, journalists, donors and the public to locate and connect with the leading centers of public policy research around the world. Our goal is to increase the profile and performance of think tanks and raise the public awareness of the important role think tanks play in governments and civil societies around the globe. Since its inception in 1989, the TTCSP has focused on collecting data and conducting research on think tank trends and the role think tanks play as civil society actors in the policymaking process. In 2007, the TTCSP developed and launched the global index of think tanks, which is designed to identify and recognize centers of excellence in all the major areas of public policy research and in every region of the world. To date TTCSP has provided technical assistance and capacity building programs in 81 countries. We are now working to create regional and global networks of think tanks in an effort to facilitate collaboration and the production of a modest yet achievable set of global public goods. Our goal is to create lasting institutional and state-level partnerships by engaging and mobilizing think tanks that have demonstrated their ability to produce high quality policy research and shape popular and elite opinion and actions for public good.
  • Publication
    The Think Tank Index
    (2009-01-01) McGann, James G.
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    2017 Global Go To Think Tank Index Video
    (2018-01-01) McGann, James G
    Video published as part of the launch of the 2017 Global Go To Think Tank Index Report.
  • Publication
    2017 Latin America Think Tank Summit Report: Global Challenges From a Regional Perspective: The Role of Think Tanks in Latin America
    (2017-01-01) McGann, James G
    The 5th Latin American Think Tank Summit took place in the Dominican Republic at a time of regional change and uncertainty of a political, social and economic nature. Numerous crises of corruption, violence and organized crime will hinder public policy development in the region, and high levels of poverty and inequality will endanger economic growth. Upcoming presidential elections in key countries will determine the direction of political leadership in the following years. Scarce resources will make it difficult to achieve all of the sustainable development goals and to keep up with developing countries in Asia. Some of these challenges will be hard on the region, but they present an unprecedented opportunity for think tanks in Latin America to strengthen and grow if they utilize the wide array of resources available to them. Think tanks can take advantage of the T20 to gain recognition before the G20 in Argentina. They can also promote best practices to increase transparency to gain legitimacy amidst corruption concerns. Think tanks can make policy proposals during electoral transitions to gain a foothold in the formation of new governments. All of these things are possible if think tanks embrace the latest technological developments, cooperate with other organizations at the regional and global level, and improve their communication with policymakers and the wider public. The Latin America Think Tank Summit sought to point out these challenges and opportunities, with the aim of identifying points of parity to facilitate regional cooperation in the future. By recognizing that there are ample commonalities in the needs of each Latin American country, think tanks can look to each other to overcome some of the region’s challenges together and prosper in spite of uncertainty.
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    2017 Think Tank Summit Report: The Future of Europe: Cooperation, Conflict, or Chaos? The Role of Think Tanks in Shaping Europe's Future
    (2017-01-01) McGann, James G
    The theme of the 2017 Europe Think Tank Summit is: Cooperation, Conflict or Chaos? The Role of Think Tanks In Shaping Europe’s Future. Populism, nationalism, nativism and protectionism are rising around the world and challenging conventional wisdom and the existing political, economic and social order. Understanding these undercurrents and their implications are critical to shaping future policies and avoiding problematic consequences. Think tanks have a key role to play in these turbulent times by shaping a constructive response to the economic and political fallout currently challenging the postwar economic and security architecture. Donald Trump’s stunning victory, the success of the Leave Campaign and the rise of other populist movements in Europe require that we collectively generate new thinking on how to make national, regional and global governance more effective and efficient and create policies that respond to the needs of those who have not benefited from globalization. The national and global disorder requires that we develop new and better ways to address income stagnation and growing inequity and develop a response to the security challenges that flow from a period marked by protracted conflict and increasing instability in world politics. The Summit will explore these complex and evolving dynamics and identify strategies and programs to address them.
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