Thinking through crisis – the role of think tanks

Abstract

Most of the research in academic institutions is data-intensive and based on statistical models, which is often difficult and time-consuming to read for governments and businesses. Here comes the role of think tanks to serve as knowledge connectors - translating academic research into user-friendly information for informed policymaking. The rise of science-skeptical movements since a few years preceding the COVID-19 pandemic and their strengthening during the pandemic has put increasing pressure on global think tanks. Populist regimes in many regions of the world cut financial resources for think tanks, thus shrinking the space for an independent analysis. The COVID–19 pandemic has triggered a multitude of crises, including large-scale social, economic, health and livelihood challenges. An unprecedented economic meltdown, interruption of economic activities in all business sectors, and immense burden on the health sector left governments reeling and scrambling to find appropriate policy responses to minimize the pandemic's impacts. The pandemic has further accentuated the challenges think tanks are confronting. One of the first responses by the think tanks from the outset was adopting new technologies and a quick shift to online work modality. Think tanks in the region organized dozens of webinars on the pandemic's critical challenges to facilitate the governments and influence and shape public opinion in their respective countries. These webinars covered a broad range of topics, including the research and analyses on the impacts of the COVID–19.