Neoliberal Think Tank Networks in Latin America and Europe: Strategic Replication and Cross National Organizing

In our paper on neoliberal think tank networks in Latin America and Europe we accept the widely held belief that research and consulting by think tanks plays a major role in the policy making process. Based on individual country and comparative studies, the innovative character of think tank expertise is stressed in relation to national epistemic cultures. In contrast to mainstream think tank research we will stress the political character of think tank knowledge and challenge prevalent methodological nationalism by way of examining the transnational dimensions of partisan think tank networks. The chapter analyses the history and growth of neoliberal partisan think tank networks in Europe and Latin America. While the founding and networking as such can be considered an example of “strategic replication” necessary to advance discourses in the global, regional, and national knowledge power structures, cross national organizing ties the separate elements together and allows for the transnational diffusion and translation of neoliberal ideas, concepts, and social technologies in policy making.