Think tanks are nonprofit policy research organizations that provide analysis and expertise to influence policymakers. From the 1970s their number increased massively in the U.S.

Korean Hopes Go Global with Launch of The Hope Institute

The Hope Institute, an independent, alternative, and culturally-oriented Korean think-tank went global on March 27, 2006, as it launched and held an international seminar attended by experts from the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom and Korea.
The seminar, entitled “Think-tanks and the Search for Hope” was held at the prestigious Korea Press Center in Seoul.
Many prominent speakers were present including Sanho Tree, a Fellow and Director of the Drug Policy Project at the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) in Washington, DC; Takahiro Suzuki, a think-tank expert from Japan; Molly Webb from Demos, a think-tank in the United Kingdom and Dr. Hwang from Chung-Ang University.
“It’s part of our approach,” said Dr. Park Won-Soon, founder and Executive Director of the Institute. “The problems we face in society cannot be cured by a totally narrow approach. Our philosophy has always been organic and multi-disciplinary, and that’s why we wanted international experts to share their ideas as well as help us inaugurate our Institute,” he added.


The Hope Institute
htp://www.makehope.org

Interview with Sanho Tree: Speak Truth to Power:  http://www.peacecouncil.net/pnl/02/709/709SanhoTree.htm


"Think Tanks and the Search for Hope" (book)

The Hope Institute,Korea:  http://www.makehope.org/english/intro.php

Press Release:  http://www.makehope.org/english/pr.php

Report in The Korea Times: Social Think-Tank Created:  http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/nation/200603/kt2006032717464011970.htm

Takahiro Suzuki: Think Tanks and Policy Formation in Japan (2005):  http://www.tt2005.jp/modules/overview/index.php?id=17

Donald E. Abelson: Trends In Search of Policy Influence: The Strategies of American Think Tanks. (Review, Spring 1998):  http://www.nira.go.jp/publ/review/98spring/abelson.html