What is the Brookings Institution?: The Brookings Institution is one of America's leading institutions for providing research and recommendations directly applicable to U.S. government policies and roles in a variety of issue areas. In 1960, Brookings opened a large new office building near DuPont Circle in Washington, DC. The area is home to a number of other "think tanks" including the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.
Background : The institution traces its roots back to 1916. The name Brookings was applied in 1927 to honor St. Louis businessman and innovator Robert Somers Brookings. The organization is nonpartisan, though often described as center-left. Current president Strobe Talbott served as deputy secretary of state in the Clinton Administration. Immediate past president Michael Armacost was undersecretary of state in the Reagan Administration.
What Does the Brookings Institution Do?: Brookings is involved in hundreds of research projects across a broad spectrum of topics. Of most relevance to U.S. foreign policy is the work within the Foreign Policy Studies program and five different centers devoted to region or multi-national issues. These are Saban Center for Middle East Policy, the Center for Northeast Asian Policy Studies, the Center on the United States and Europe, the John L. Thornton China Center, and the Internally Displaced Persons Project.
Ties to Watergate: Former U.S. President Richard Nixon admitted that in 1971 he instructed his staff to break into the Brookings Institution and steal material damaging to his Vietnam policy. Others allege that the White House wanted to firebomb Brookings during the same time frame.
Brookings Institution Funding: Guide Star works to create accountability and transparency among nonprofit organizations. Their report on the Brookings Institution is here. A free registration is required.
