Can think tanks change policy in government or business? If they can, how exactly should they go about doing so? Increasingly, think tanks are operating in a less conventional way, with fewer flagship reports and more collaborative processes that pave the way for stakeholders to address critical issues together. Such approaches allow think tanks to do what governments, business, unions, and community groups often can’t do themselves.

An Australian think tank, the Centre for Policy Development, has been pioneering a new approach (create-connect-convince) over the past five years that has yielded important policy “wins” on forced migration, climate risk, and human services. This session will explore the new think tank landscape in established, but somewhat distrusted, democracies, and consider how think tanks might drive a new agenda on integrity and democratic renewal.