Jim McGann
Personal details
Born	1955 (1955)
Died	November 29, 2021(2021-11-29) (aged 65–66)
Education	La Salle University (BA) Temple University (MA) University of Pennsylvania (MPA, PhD)
Website	gotothinktank.com

James G. McGann (1955–2021) was an American academic who was a Senior Lecturer in International Studies, Founder and Director of the Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program at the Lauder Institute, University of Pennsylvania^[1] and a Senior Fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute.^[2] He was the author of numerous publications, including the renowned annual Global Go To Think Tank Index which ranks think tanks in all regions of the world.^[3] His most recent book was "Think Tanks: The New Knowledge and Policy Brokers in Asia" published by the Brookings Institution Press.^[4][5] Dr. McGann was most notable for his extensive work on public policy research organizations, and he was a frequent adviser to numerous governments and international organizations worldwide.^[6]

He died on November 29, 2021.^[7]

Publications

• Competition for Dollars, Scholars, and Influence in the Public Policy Research Industry (University Press of America 1995)
• The International Survey of Think Tanks (Foreign Policy Research Institute 1999)
• Think Tanks and Civil Societies: Catalyst for Ideas and Action, co-edited with Kent B. Weaver (Transaction Publishers 2000)
• Ideas and Influence: Think Tanks, Politics and Public Policy, (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2003)
• Comparative Think Tanks, Politics And Public Policy, (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2006)
• Think Tanks and Policy Advice in the U.S.: Academics, Advisors, and Advocates (Routledge 2007)
• Global Trends and Transitions: 2007 Survey of Think Tanks (Foreign Policy Research Institute 2008)
• The 2007 Global Go to Think Tanks (Foreign Policy Research Institute 2008); "Think Tank Index" (Foreign Policy Magazine 2009)
• The 2008 Global Go to Think Tank Index (IRP, University of Pennsylvania 2009)
• Democratization and Market Reform: Think Tanks As Catalysts (Routledge 2009)
• Catalysts for Economic Growth and Development: The Role of Think Tanks in Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (CIPE 2009)
• The 2009 Global Go to Think Tank Index (University of Pennsylvania 2010)
• Global Think Tanks: Policy Networks and Governance (Global Institutions), (Routledge, 2010)
• The 2010 Global Go to Think Tank Index (University of Pennsylvania 2011)
• The 2011 Global Go to Think Tank Index (University of Pennsylvania 2012)
• Think Tanks and Global Policy Networks, chapter in edited volume, International Organization and Global governance, (Routledge 2013)
• The 2012 Global Go to Think Tank Index (University of Pennsylvania 2013)
• Think Tanks and Social Development Policy: A Global Comparative Study (University of Pennsylvania Press 2013)
• The 2013 Global Go to Think Tank Index (University of Pennsylvania 2013)
• Think Tanks, Policy Advice and the Foreign Policy Challenges Facing Emerging Powers (2014)
• How Think Tanks Shape Social Development Policies (University of Pennsylvania Press 2014)
• The 2014 Global Go to Think Tank Index (University of Pennsylvania 2014)
• The 2015 Global Go to Think Tank Index (University of Pennsylvania 2015)
• Think Tanks and SDGs: Catalysts for Analysis, Innovation and Implementation (TTCSP 2015)
• The 2016 Global Go to Think Tank Index (University of Pennsylvania 2016)
• Trends and Transitions in Security Expertise from Deterrence to Climate Change and Back Again (Routledge 2017)
• The 2017 Global Go to Think Tank Index (University of Pennsylvania 2017)
• The 2018 Global Go to Think Tank Index (University of Pennsylvania 2019)
• Think Tanks Foreign Policy the Emerging Powers (Palgrave MacMillan 2019)
• Think Tanks and Emerging Power Policy Networks (Palgrave 2019)
• Think Tanks: the New Knowledge Brokers and Policy Advisers In Asia (Brookings Press 2019)
• "For think tanks, it's either innovate or die" (Washington Post 2019)