RECYCLING BINS,GARBAGE CANS OR THINK TANKS? THREE MYTHS REGARDING POLICY ANALYSIS INSTITUTES

The phrase ‘think tank’ has become ubiquitous – overworked and underspecified – in the political lexicon. It is entrenched in scholarly discussions of public policy as well as in the ‘policy wonk’ of journalists, lobbyists and spin‐doctors. This does not mean that there is an agreed definition of think tank or consensual understanding of their roles and functions. Nevertheless, the majority of organizations with this label undertake policy research of some kind. The idea of think tanks as a research communication ‘bridge’ presupposes that there are discernible boundaries between (social) science and policy. This paper will investigate some of these boundaries. The frontiers are not only organizational and legal; they also exist in how the ‘public interest’ is conceived by these bodies and their financiers. Moreover, the social interactions and exchanges involved in ‘bridging’, themselves muddy the conception of ‘boundary’, allowing for analysis to go beyond the dualism imposed in seeing science on one side of the bridge, and the state on the other, to address the complex relations between experts and public policy.     

The Dragon and the Kangaroo Young Australians in China

APOLOGIES for the clichéd zoophilia of the title. Unfortunately,with the most auspicious of Chinese zodiacs swooping in only once in 12 years,2012 journalistic protocol for articles on China stipulates bestial kitsch whenever possible. And the kangaroo,whose pouch and hallmark hop seem perhaps even more improbable than a winged,fire-breathing serpent,is the obvious choice to complete our epithet for a story about Australia and China.While "The Dragon and the Kangaroo" are yet to make their way into popular fable,an interesting story is certainly being drafted by a young generation of antipodean Asianists who have found their métier in China’s capital,Beijing.     

China and the West Grow Closer through Higher Education Cooperation - An Interview with Dr. Thorsten Pattberg, a Research Fellow at the Institute for Advanced Humanistic Studies, Peking University

CHINESE higher education is changing fast. The sector is rapidly expanding. A decade ago roughly one million college students graduated per year. This year there were almost seven million graduates, according to a recent statement from the State Council. The quality of teaching and research at universities has improved significantly since the turn of the millennium. A massive increase in university funding is largely to thank for this. Project 211, initiated at the end of the 199os, saw loo leading universities receive a total of RMB 36.8 billion to build physical plant. Project 985, launched soon after, sought to create world-class universities out of 39 institutions. Peking University alone received US $36o million under the project. The nine leading universities from these 39 institutions sub- sequently received extra cash injections with the formation of the C9 League, China＇s answer to America＇s Ivy League.     

A Huangshan Affair

MARCH in Beijing is a time of hope, and despair. The Siberian winds that howl in from Mongolia begin to wane; renegade centigrades make a break for positive. Beijing may get warmer in the third month of the year, but the weather can still be abysmal. Expect encounters with the wild children of meteorology - sleet, hail, sandstorms - before spring truly arrives. For many residents, married to the city for the pre-Chinese New Year winter work slog, March is breaking point.     

99 Billion Bottles of Beer on the Wall China’s Beer Culture Changing Fast as Foreign Brands and Brewers Move in

HEAVEN leaves a lot to be desired. It’s bright, really bright. They’ve stuck enough fluorescent lamps onto the low-hanging ceiling to light up a nighttime football game. At 104 square meters, it’s also way too small for the crowd it pulls. There’s no music. The washroom is almost always occupied, and almost never cleaned. The "chairs" are jagged little metal stools, presumably