LibGuides: Henley-Putnam's Doctor of Strategic Security Subject Guide: Research Institutions and Think Tanks

Research Institutes

The Atlantic Council The Atlantic Council promotes constructive leadership and engagement in international affairs based on the Atlantic Community’s central role in meeting global challenges. The Council provides an essential forum for navigating the dramatic economic and political changes defining the twenty-first century by informing and galvanizing its uniquely influential network of global leaders. The Atlantic Council—through the papers it publishes, the ideas it generates, the future leaders it develops, and the communities it builds—shapes policy choices and strategies to create a more free, secure, and prosperous world.
The Belfer Center The Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs is the hub of Harvard Kennedy School's research, teaching, and training in international security and diplomacy, environmental and resource issues, and science and technology policy. In 2021, the Belfer Center was named a “Center of Excellence” by the University of Pennsylvania’s Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program, in recognition of the Center’s six consecutive years as the world’s #1 university-affiliated think tank.
Brookings Institute The Brookings Institution is a nonprofit public policy organization based in Washington, DC. Our mission is to conduct in-depth research that leads to new ideas for solving problems facing society at the local, national and global level.
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace more than 150 thinkers and doers from diverse disciplines and perspectives spread across more than twenty countries and six global centers working together as one network to advance international peace.
Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA). The Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA)’s mission is to ensure a strong and enduring transatlantic alliance rooted in democratic values and principles with strategic vision, foresight, and policy impact. Through cutting-edge research, analysis, and programs we provide fresh insight on energy, security, and defense to government officials and agencies; we help transatlantic businesses navigate changing strategic landscapes; and we build networks of future Atlanticist leaders. CEPA is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, public policy institution.
Center for New American Security independent, bipartisan, nonprofit organization that develops strong, pragmatic, and principled national security and defense policies. CNAS engages policymakers, experts, and the public with innovative, fact-based research, ideas, and analysis to shape and elevate the national security debate. A key part of our mission is to inform and prepare the national security leaders of today and tomorrow.
Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments CSBA provides timely, impartial and insightful analyses to senior decision makers in the executive and legislative branches, as well as to the media and the broader national security establishment. CSBA encourages thoughtful participation in the development of national security strategy and policy, and in the allocation of scarce human and capital resources. CSBA’s analysis and outreach focus on key questions related to existing and emerging threats to US national security. Meeting these challenges will require transforming the national security establishment, and we are devoted to helping achieve this end.
Center for Strategic and International Studies The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) is a bipartisan, nonprofit policy research organization dedicated to advancing practical ideas to address the world’s greatest challenges.
Council for Foreign Relations an independent, nonpartisan membership organization, think tank, and publisher dedicated to being a resource for its members, government officials, business executives, journalists, educators and students, civic and religious leaders, and other interested citizens in order to help them better understand the world and the foreign policy choices facing the United States and other countries. Founded in 1921, CFR takes no institutional positions on matters of policy. Our goal is to start a conversation in this country about the need for Americans to better understand the world.
Critical Threats (CT) of American Enterprise Institute Conducts intelligence analysis on unclassified information to produce continuous assessments of threats to the U.S. and our allies. It develops these assessments, focused on the threats posed by Iran and the global al Qaeda network, into concrete plans for action using best-practices drawn from the U.S. military, intelligence community, and diplomatic corps. CT is a program of the American Enterprise Institute.
The East-West Center The East-West Center promotes better relations and understanding among the people and nations of the United States, Asia, and the Pacific through cooperative study, research, and dialogue. Established by the US Congress in 1960, the Center serves as a resource for information and analysis on critical issues of common concern, bringing people together to exchange views, build expertise, and develop policy options. The Center is an independent, public, nonprofit organization with funding from the US government, and additional support provided by private agencies, individuals, foundations, corporations, and governments in the region.
The Economic Policy Institute The Economic Policy Institute (EPI) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank created in 1986 to include the needs of low- and middle-income workers in economic policy discussions. EPI believes every working person deserves a good job with fair pay, affordable health care, and retirement security. To achieve this goal, EPI conducts research and analysis on the economic status of working America. EPI proposes public policies that protect and improve the economic conditions of low- and middle-income workers and assesses policies with respect to how they affect those workers.
Federation of American Scientists Provides science-based analysis of and solutions to protect against catastrophic threats to national and international security. Specifically, FAS works to reduce the spread and number of nuclear weapons, prevent nuclear and radiological terrorism, promote high standards for nuclear energy’s safety and security, illuminate government secrecy practices, as well as prevent the use of biological and chemical weapons.
Finabel Finable promotes and facilitates the interoperability of land forces across the full spectrum of military operations through the harmonisation of concepts, doctrines and procedures in the joint environment. The organisation produces recommendations, guidelines and research for defence decision-makers according to the member states’ demands. It convenes the leadership of the member states’ armies in annual meetings, enabling both formal and informal knowledge sharing about the development of land forces. Finabel complements and cooperates with EU and NATO military structures, thereby acting within the overall context of a common European understanding of defence issues. Finabel has 24 member states, and membership is open to all EU member states
Foundation for the Defense of Democracy The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) is a Washington, DC-based nonpartisan 501(c)(3) research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy. FDD conducts in-depth research, produces accurate and timely analyses, identifies illicit activities, and provides policy options – all with the aim of strengthening U.S. national security and reducing or eliminating threats posed by adversaries and enemies of the United States and other free nations.
H-Net: Humanities & Social Sciences Online H-Net is an international interdisciplinary organization of scholars and teachers dedicated to developing the enormous educational potential of the Internet and the World Wide Web. Our edited networks publish peer reviewed essays, multimedia materials, and discussions for colleagues and the interested public. The computing heart and main office of H-Net resides at the History Department, Michigan State University, but H-Net officers, editors and subscribers come from all over the globe.
Hoover Institute With its eminent scholars and world-renowned Library and Archives, the Hoover Institution is a public policy think tank that seeks to improve the human condition by advancing ideas that promote economic opportunity and prosperity, while securing and safeguarding peace for America and all mankind.
Hunt Lab for Intelligence Research Database of Analytic Rigour Literature. This site aims to be a comprehensive, crowdsourced index of literature related to analytic rigor in intelligence analysis. Literature includes academic books and articles and documents from intelligence organizations, if already publicly available.
The Institute for Defense Analyses The Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA) is a private, nonprofit corporation headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, just outside Washington, DC. IDA’s mission is to answer the most challenging U.S. security and science policy questions with objective analysis leveraging extraordinary scientific, technical, and analytic expertise.
IntelNews.org intelNews is a specialty website that provides news and analysis on espionage, intelligence, and security issues to highlight and report in a timely, responsible and reflective manner the role of intelligence operations in national and international affairs. intelNews aims to encourage public discussion on a critical aspect of security and to provide the world’s media with informed and responsible commentary on related subjects.
International Institute for CounterTerrorism (ICT) Administers a public domain research database of global terrorist attacks, terrorist organizations and activists, and statistical reports. ICT organzies monthly international seminars, workshops and conferences, and a forum for policymakers and scholars to share information through research papers, situation reports and academic publications. ICT is an independent think tank examining terrorism, counter-terrorism, homeland security, threat vulnerability, risk assessment, intelligence analysis, national security and defense policy.
The International Institute for Strategic Studies IISS is located in London and provides security related research in a number of areas, to include: defense and military analysis, conflict and security development, nonproliferation and nuclear policy, geo-economics, geopolitics, cyber, space and future conflict. IISS also publishes the Military Balance annually.
James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies CNS strives to combat the spread of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) by training the next generation of nonproliferation specialists and disseminating timely information and analysis. It is the largest nongovernmental organization in the United States devoted exclusively to research and training on nonproliferation issues. It is located at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, a graduate school of Middlebury College
The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies The Mitchell Institute is the only aerospace power-focused think tank in the nation’s capital. The Institute informs the national security debate, educates about the essential role of aerospace power, and cultivates aerospace-minded talent.
National Security Archive Maintained by George Washington University, the archive contains declassified national security documents. This makes the archive very useful for students researching the Cold War and earlier conflict periods.
National Security Institute National Secutiry Institute (NSI) programs are used by America’s top corporations to educate employees to the risks of critical information loss from hackers, spies and data thieves. NSI designs key programs for protecting sensitive technology and business secrets to help information service providers for government agencies and defense contractors avoid costly security breaches through end-user awareness and practical, fail-safe solutions.
Navanti Group Navanti is an applied analytics company, making complex environments accessible through actionable data. They assist private and government clients operate in countries across Africa, Eurasia, and the Middle East through data analytics, crowdsourcing, and custom applied solutions.
Nuclear Deterrence Studies at RAND The range of nuclear deterrence strategies includes minimal or “limited” deterrence, massive retaliation with a force greater that that originally used by the aggressor, and mutual assured destruction.
RAND Corporation RAND’s research and analyses address issues related to national security, health, education, education, sustainability, growth and development. Of particular note to military researchers, RAND’s Project Air Force is one of the best sources for detailed studies regarding air power.
Stimson Center For three decades, Stimson has been a leading voice on urgent global issues. Founded in the twilight years of the Cold War, the Stimson Center pioneered practical new steps toward stability and security in an uncertain world. Today, as changes in power and technology usher in a challenging new era, Stimson is at the forefront: Engaging new voices, generating innovative ideas and analysis, and building solutions to promote international security, prosperity, and justice.
Stratfor Stratfor publishes analyses and forecasts by examining global events through the lens of geopolitics and our proprietary methodology to reveal the underlying significance and future implications of emerging developments. Their publications are accessible on the EBSCOhost platform in the International Security & Counter Terrorism Reference Center database.
War on the Rocks War on the Rocks features articles and podcasts on a platform for analysis, commentary, debate and multimedia content on foreign policy and national security issues through a realist lens by scholars who study war and those who have served or worked in war zones.