McGann, James

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Disciplines
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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  • Publication
    2018 Africa Think Tank Summit Report: Deepening Expertise and Enhancing Sustainability: Insights into Contemporary Challenges Facing African Think Tanks
    (2018-01-01) McGann, James G
    OCP Policy Center and the Think Tank and Civil Societies Program of the University of Pennsylvania, with the support of the Moroccan International Cooperation Agency (AMCI), the Asian Development Bank hosted the 2018 Africa Think Tank Summit under the theme “Deepening Expertise and Enhancing Sustainability: Insight into Contemporary Challenges Facing African Think Tanks.” The summit was held May 9-11th, 2018 at The View Hotel, Rabat, Morocco. The most influential and innovative think tanks in Africa gathered to discuss contemporary issues they are facing, such as the challenges of deepening expertise, the role of the media and the press in propelling the African agendas, the role of think tanks in driving the African diaspora, and the role of think tanks in building an inclusive policy dialogue. The Summit was also an excellent opportunity to explore how think tanks can implement the strategies developed in previous Summits to enhance capacity, increase impact and assure the long term viability of think tanks in the region. Much work has been done lately on the issue of making think tanks “fit for purpose,” in terms of quality, vibrancy, relevance and sustainability. We believe that think tanks from across Africa benefit from learning about and finding ways to introduce innovations and adaptations identified in other think tank fora.
  • Publication
    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
    2018 Latin America Think Tank Summit Report: Think Tanks: A Bridge over Troubled Waters and Turbulent Times
    (2018-01-01) McGann, James G
    The Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program of the Lauder Institute at the University of Pennsylvania, CLAEH University and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung hosted the 2018 Latin America Think Tank Summit under the theme “Think Tanks: A Bridge over Troubled Waters and Turbulent Times.” The summit was held September 12-14th, 2018 at the Hilton Garden Inn Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay. The most influential and innovative think tanks in Latin America gathered to discuss contemporary issues they are facing, such as growing trade tensions, economic turbulence, climate change, mass migration, corruption and traditional and non-traditional security threats. In a world where facts, evidence, and credible research are often ignored, this summit explored how think tanks can remain relevant and impactful by simultaneously pursuing rigor, innovation, accessibility, and accountability more than ever before. As such, the summit explored not only the ways in which think tanks are currently making a difference and finding solutions to contemporary policy challenges, but also how they can become increasingly relevant in these tumultuous times. To that end, in addition to these pressing contemporary policy challenges, the 2018 Latin America Think Tank Summit also focused on sharing the best practices for raising funds, recruiting key staff, harnessing new and innovative technologies, and responding to increased public scrutiny and discontent.
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  • 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.
  • Publication
    Final G20 Foreign Policy Think Tank Summit Joint Communique
    (2012-06-01) McGann, James G
    From the international conference Global Challenges, Increasing Responsibilities: G20 Foreign Policy Think Tank Summit.
  • Publication
    2017 Global Go To Think Tank Index Speech
    (2018-01-01) McGann, James G
    Prepared opening remarks from James G. McGann given as part of the launch of the 11th edition of the Global Go To Think Tank Index Report (available here).
  • Publication
  • Publication
    2015 Global Go To Think Tank Index Report
    (2016-02-09) 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