“Using a combination of case studies, data analysis, and real-life experience, this fascinating book takes us behind the scenes to show us the ways in which partisan think tanks succeed (and sometimes fail) in setting the policy agenda. The Thinkers makes a convincing case that such think tanks have played an important part in the increasingly partisan politics that have divided the United States in recent years.”
—Beth Leech, Professor of Political Science, Rutgers University
“The Thinkers explores the growth of partisan think tanks, a new and deeply troubling element of the US political scene. Far from offering neutral expertise and “speaking truth to power”, these groups are deeply connected to the very forces that have generated the polarized and dysfunctional political process we see today.”
—Frank R. Baumgartner, Professor of Political Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Media coverage of The Thinkers
Beyond Politics Podcast, June 11, 2024
The Science of Politics Podcast, July 10, 2024
Other Reviews and comments:
“I've spent a lot of time working for think tanks, working with think tanks, and consuming the output of think tanks both while in government and outside it. And I still learned an enormous amount from this book. The overall story is familiar to people who have paid a lot of attention: as government grew the demand for expertise grew, for a while this was satisfied by ostensibly "neutral" and "non partisan" sources like universities, RAND, Brookings, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the Congressional Research Service (CRS), etc. But then the conservative movement decided these were all actually liberal sources so it set up the Heritage Foundation as a counterweight, the first think tank that was explicitly partisan as well as emphasized communications and relations on Capital Hill. This was the creation of an alternative conservative "knowledge regime." Then progressives set up the Center for American Progress as a counterweight to Heritage, in part mirrored on its rapid response, easily digestible information and relations with Congress and the media. The book also intensively studies two other think tanks it considers "partisan," the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) and the American Enterprise Institute (AEI). It considers a range of others as well.”
- Jason Furman, former Chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisors.
“Fagan fills the book with a host of graphs, tables, and charts that will be every nerd's delight. If you want data on the distribution of white papers by topic or growth of think-tank staff compared with congressional staff, then this is the book for you.“The book is essential reading for understanding the contemporary policy world of national government.
- Tevi Troy, former Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services.
“The book is essential reading for understanding the contemporary policy world of national government. Fagan explores idea generation and use in national policymaking with remarkable thoroughness. Using several sources of quantitative and qualitative data, he traces the evolution of the Washington agenda from the archaic era (pre-1920), through the technocratic era (1920s to 1970s) to the contemporary partisan era. The central focus of the work is the growth and operation of D.C. think tanks, noting the importance of the rise of the Heritage Foundation and liberal Center for American Progress in entrenching the current era of partisan analysis in national policymaking. Along the way, his data reveals the historical expansion of the national policy agenda (p. 26) and the correlation of the rise of partisan think tank analysis with the polarization of national politics (pp. 75-84). Fagan also assesses the role of partisan think tanks in party organizations, how such think tanks set their agendas and how think tanks’ focus on more “ideological” issues obstructs national problem solving. This work contains adept data analysis, revealing case studies and careful explanation of historical trends. Highly recommended for all students of national politics and policymaking.”
- Steve Schier, Carlton College