University Think Tanks’ Influence On US Foreign Policy

During the past decades, think tanks have been playing a significant role in decision-making process of public policy and foreign policy. As an independent institution aiming at policy counseling, think tank seeks to establish remarkable policy studies and transfer its academic output into the actual policy-engineering project. In effect, it adopt various strategies of influence building-up which include direct and indirect operations in order to better insert its policy study into the official policy-making process while promote the spread of its ideas and policy paper effectively. Think tanks also take the shaping of public discourse as one of the main strategies to influence both the elite and the public. Among various forms, think tank found an important member as those policy-oriented institutions based in universities. This form of think tank owns merits due to its distinguished researching bodies. In general, compared with policy experts, academic researchers conduct more detailed and serious studies. It finds a place in the combination of fundamental research and practical research. It is in this situation that university-based think tanks obtain advantages.The 20th century witnessed the birth and development of modern think tanks in the United States. U.S. think tanks now play a leading role in this booming global industry. Particularly in the field of Central Asia or Eurasian studies, U.S. takes the lead. The Central Asia and Caucasus Institute (CACI) led by Dr. Frederick Starr is among the few most influential think tanks for U.S. foreign policy. This institute was established within the framework of the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Johns Hopkins University. After 9/11, U.S. made Central Asia, especially Afghanistan its major strategic concern. When U.S. was facing consequential challenges after its military overthrow of the Taliban, Dr. Starr bought up the well-known "Greater Central Asia Partnership" (GCAP) in order to provide a possible route for America in Central Asian region. This paper focuses on the proposition and adjustment of this project and the interaction between Dr. Starr (including CACI) and official institutions. Also we analyze the strategy of influence CACI uses as a university-based think tank.In the last part I seek to give some reasonable advises for China, which is increasingly paying attention to its own think tank industry.