Afleveringen
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In this OTT Talks episode, Enrique Mendizabal speaks with Ivor Chipkin, co-founder and director of South Africaâs New South Institute, shortly after President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the Public Service Amendment Act 2025. Chipkin explains how, since 1994, political leaders have held extensive control over public service appointments and operations as a workaround for governing under inherited apartheid-era administrations, but this politicisation later contributed to declining performance, corruption, and âstate capture,â with uneven effects across institutions. The new act aims to demarcate politics from administration by shifting key administrative powers to department heads, while politicians set policy and provide oversight, aligning South Africa with civil service reforms seen elsewhere. Chipkin describes NSIâs long-term advocacy and alliance-building from the 2022 reform opening to the 2024 coalition-era shift, and highlights implementation risks, monitoring needs, and the importance of patient funding.
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Recorded live at the OTT Conference 2026 in Rabat, Morocco, this special edition of OTT Talks brings you the keynote speeches from the 10th edition of the conference.
In an era marked by democratic uncertainty, technological disruption and geopolitical instability, do think tanks still matter?
In this keynote from the OTT Conference 2026, Rosa Balfour reflects on the growing pressures facing think tanks â from the transformation of the information ecosystem and declining trust in institutions to funding challenges and global geopolitical upheaval.
She argues that think tanks continue to play a critical role as bridges between policymakers and society, while calling for greater clarity of purpose, stronger communities of practice and more meaningful public engagement.
Explore more insights from the OTT Conference 2026: https://onthinktanks.org/ott-conference-2026/
Become an On Think Tanks member: https://onthinktanks.org/membership/
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Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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Recorded live at the OTT Conference 2026 in Rabat, Morocco, this special edition of OTT Talks brings you the keynote speeches from the 10th edition of the conference.
How can think tanks remain trustworthy institutions in increasingly polarised political environments?
In this keynote from the OTT Conference 2026, HĂ©ctor CĂĄrdenas reflects on the relationship between evidence, storytelling and trust. Drawing on COMEXIâs experience in Mexico, he explores how think tanks can navigate political pressures, fragmented audiences and institutional tensions while remaining credible, pluralistic and grounded in evidence.
From strategic communication and public engagement to government relations and organisational identity, this session offers a thoughtful reflection on what it means for knowledge to matter in todayâs policy debates.
Explore more insights from the OTT Conference 2026: https://onthinktanks.org/ott-conference-2026/
Become an On Think Tanks member: https://onthinktanks.org/membership/
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Recorded live at the OTT Conference 2026 in Rabat, Morocco, this special edition of OTT Talks brings you the keynote speeches from the 10th edition of the conference.
Who are think tanks ultimately accountable to?
In this keynote from the OTT Conference 2026, Denis Foretia examines the complex relationship between legitimacy, independence and trust in African policy research organisations. Drawing on the experience of the Denis & Lenora Foretia Foundation in Cameroon, he reflects on the tensions between governments, funders and citizens â and argues that genuine legitimacy must be earned locally, not borrowed internationally.
Through personal stories and institutional lessons, Denis explores what it takes to build trust with the communities think tanks claim to serve.
Explore more insights from the OTT Conference 2026: https://onthinktanks.org/ott-conference-2026/
Become an On Think Tanks member: https://onthinktanks.org/membership/
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Recorded live at the OTT Conference 2026 in Rabat, Morocco, this special edition of OTT Talks brings you the keynote speeches from the 10th edition of the conference.
What happens to think tanks when artificial intelligence can produce analysis in seconds?
In this keynote from the OTT Conference 2026, Erica explores how AI is reshaping the production of knowledge and what this means for policy research organisations. While AI can dramatically expand analytical capacity, she argues that the most valuable forms of knowledge still emerge through human encounter, judgement and relationships built around shared stakes and difficult decisions.
The session reflects on trust, expertise, institutional value and the future role of think tanks in an AI-mediated world.
Explore more insights from the OTT Conference 2026: https://onthinktanks.org/ott-conference-2026/
Become an On Think Tanks member: https://onthinktanks.org/membership/
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Recorded live at the OTT Conference 2026 in Rabat, Morocco, this special edition of OTT Talks brings you the keynote speeches from the 10th edition of the conference.
In his welcoming remarks at the OTT Conference 2026 in Rabat, Karim El Aynaoui, Executive Director of the Policy Center for the New South (PCNS), reflected on the role think tanks can play in addressing global imbalances and strengthening public policy ecosystems.
Karim explored the importance of talent development, public service, and evidence-informed policymaking, while highlighting the need to rebalance global narratives and create greater space for perspectives from the Global South. He argued that think tanks have a responsibility not only to produce research, but also to nurture future leaders, contribute to more inclusive international debates, and build partnerships that turn ideas into action.
His remarks set the tone for the conferenceâs wider discussions on trust, legitimacy, knowledge production and the evolving role of think tanks in a rapidly changing world.
Explore more insights from the OTT Conference 2026: https://onthinktanks.org/ott-conference-2026/
Become an On Think Tanks member: https://onthinktanks.org/membership/
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In this OTT Talks episode, co-hosts Enrique Mendizabal and Goran Buldioski interview Scarlett Varga, Secretary General of Bruegel, about how an economic think tank navigates Europeâs shifting political and economic context.
Scarlett argues that âneutralityâ is contested: Bruegel defines neutrality as openness to engage across the spectrum while disclosing biases and values, and she discusses the challenge of engaging radical-right or MAGA-adjacent actors without enabling shouting-match platforms.
She describes Brussels/EU as akin to The Grand Budapest Hotelâcharming yet chaoticâand reflects on Bruegelâs adaptability during crises through flagship outputs, a strong research culture, and a diversified funding model.
The conversation also covers membership-based governance, tensions over independence, growth, and advice to aspiring think tankers: only do the work if you truly believe in it.
This episode is part of a series, Think tanks in a changing Europe, supported by the Open Society Foundations. You can listen to the whole series here.
Tune in, and visit bruegel.org to learn more about what was discussed during this podcast.
About OTT Talks:
OTT Talks is a platform for sharing learning among think tanks, funders, and other policy actors on a range of topics, from think tank governance to communicating research. Learn more.
About On Think Tanks:
On Think Tanks focuses on a range of issues relevant to think tanks, their staff, and supporters. We hope that our initiatives and the articles and resources we publish will help think tanks make short- and long-term decisions more strategically, resulting in better policy advice and policy outcomes for all. Learn more & support us.
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In this episode, co-hosts Enrique Mendizabal and Goran Buldioski interview Mario Holzner, Executive Director of the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (wiiw), about conducting economic research on Central, East and Southeast Europe from Vienna amid shifting geopolitical and media environments.
Mario describes the regionâs historical heterogeneity and wiiwâs pragmatic, plural intellectual tradition, including scepticism toward purely supply-side transition policies and attention to demand, social impacts, and industrial policy. He explains how austerity and inflation eroded core public subsidiesâtraditionally from Austriaâs Ministry of Finance, the central bank, Vienna, and social partnersâdriving greater reliance on project funding from the European Commission, international organisations, and, increasingly, foundations. The discussion covers pressures from partisan think tanks and polarised media, wiiwâs data-driven approach, expanded communications capacity, networked EU consortia, digital transformation, and the importance of independent analysis in a fragmented policy space.
This episode is part of a series, Think tanks in a changing Europe, supported by the Open Society Foundations. You can listen to the whole series here.
Learn more about the wiiw and the information discussed during this podcast.
About OTT Talks:
OTT Talks is a platform for sharing learning among think tanks, funders, and other policy actors on a range of topics, from think tank governance to communicating research. Learn more.
About On Think Tanks:
On Think Tanks focuses on a range of issues relevant to think tanks, their staff, and supporters. We hope that our initiatives and the articles and resources we publish will support think tanks in making short- and long-term decisions more strategically, resulting in better policy advice and policy outcomes for all. Learn more & support us.
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In this episode, co-hosts Enrique Mendizabal and Goran Buldioski interview Richard Durana, co-founder and director of INESS (Institute of Economic and Social Studies) in Slovakia.
Richard describes his move from chemistry to economics and how INESS has operated for two decades in a largely hostile, left-leaning political environment, emphasising both policy advocacy and public education. He compares Slovakiaâs post-communist trajectory to the film Rocky, citing early-2000s reforms, foreign investment, and later decline amid higher taxes and unpredictability. He outlines INESSâs methodsâmedia engagement, journalist briefings, large-scale education programs like the Economics Olympiad, and projects such as Price of the State and the Bureaucracy Indexâalongside a fundraising strategy built on donor diversity, local institutional support, and zero government funding.
This episode is part of a series, Think tanks in a changing Europe, supported by the Open Society Foundations. You can listen to the whole series here.
Learn more about the INESS and the information discussed during this podcast.
About OTT Talks:
OTT Talks is a platform for sharing learning among think tanks, funders, and other policy actors on a range of topics, from think tank governance to communicating research. Learn more.
About On Think Tanks:
On Think Tanks focuses on a range of issues relevant to think tanks, their staff, and supporters. We hope that our initiatives and the articles and resources we publish will help think tanks make short- and long-term decisions more strategically, resulting in better policy advice and outcomes for all. Learn more & support us.
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In this episode of OTT Talks, Enrique Mendizabal hosts David Watson, former Director of Communications at Chatham House and seasoned UK policymaker, in a conversation exploring Davidâs extensive background in government and think tanks.
David reflects on his experiences within the UK government, emphasising the role of evidence in policy-making and the impact of think tanks. He discusses the differences between political roles and civil service roles and the importance of peopleâs lived experiences.
The conversation also delves into the disconnection between think tank research and real-time policy-making. David shares his efforts to make think tanks more outward-looking and strategic with their interventions to influence policy processes. He talks about his work at ODI Global and Chatham House, emphasising the significance of strategic communications to cut through the noise and achieve corporate objectives.
Finally, David addresses the evolving landscape of think tanks, the importance of being purposeful, and the challenges of producing diverse content to remain relevant in todayâs fast-paced information environment.
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OTT Talks is a platform to share learning among think tanks, funders and other policy actors on a range of topics from think tank governance to communicating research.
Learn more: https://onthinktanks.org/podcast/
Support us: https://onthinktanks.org/support/
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OTT Talks: Think tanks in a changing Europe is back for season 4.
In the opening episode, co-hosts Enrique Mendizabal and Goran Buldioski speak with
Petra ReszketĆ, Co-Director and Senior Researcher at the Budapest Institute, about leading an independent, project-based economic think tank in Hungaryâs âilliberal democracy.â
Petra outlines the challenges faced by the Budapest Institute, including limited and opaque government engagement, the emergence of quasi-governmental bodies and conflicting narratives, deteriorating access to and quality of public data, and the political risks associated with public participation.
The conversation details the Institute's strategic pivot toward selective domestic engagement, collaboration with local actors, and an explicit regional focus. This regional work is supported by partnerships and projects with organisations such as the European Commission, the OECD, and the ILO.
Key discussion points also cover the Institute's tender-driven business model, the difficulty of implementing post-evaluation changes, staff retention issues, and the critical importance of integrity, consistency, and robust contingency planning.
This episode is part of a series, Think tanks in a changing Europe, supported by the Open Society Foundations. You can listen to the whole series here.
Learn more about the Budapest Institute and the information discussed during this podcast.
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About OTT Talks:
OTT Talks is a platform for sharing learning among think tanks, funders, and other policy actors on a range of topics, from think tank governance to communicating research. Learn more.
About On Think Tanks:
On Think Tanks focuses on a range of issues relevant to think tanks, their staff, and supporters. We hope that our initiatives and the articles and resources we publish will support think tanks in making short- and long-term decisions more strategically, resulting in better policy advice and policy outcomes for all. Learn more & support us.
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What does it feel like to become a funder when you've spent your career as a researcher? And what does it reveal about philanthropy when the person holding the chequebook doesn't look the part?
In this special episode of OTT Talks, host Enrique Mendizabal speaks with Christopher Chibwana (Hewlett Foundation) and Savior Mwambwa (Open Society Foundations) â two African-born former thinktankers now leading programmes at major US-based foundations.
Chris reflects on being read through visual and cultural cues inside institutions that weren't built with him in mind â and on being positioned as an explainer of the Global South rather than a shaper of how foundations engage with it. Savior contrasts OSF's history of regional hiring with a predominantly white US office culture, and examines how program officer authority quietly determines who gets funded, how much risk a portfolio can absorb, and whether smaller or less formal actors ever get a look in.
Why do foundations find it so hard to shift resources toward proximate organisations, even when the case is widely accepted? How are geopolitical pressures reshaping what funders can say, fund, and stand behind? And what does contested language around "the global" reveal about where power actually sits in international philanthropy? Tune in to find out â from two people who have now seen both sides of the table.
Read more in Chris Chibwana's Substack.
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About OTT Talks:
OTT Talks is a platform for sharing learning among think tanks, funders, and other policy actors on a range of topics, from think tank governance to communicating research. Learn more.
About On Think Tanks:
On Think Tanks focuses on a range of issues relevant to think tanks, their staff, and supporters. We hope that our initiatives and the articles and resources we publish will support think tanks in making short- and long-term decisions more strategically, resulting in better policy advice and policy outcomes for all. Learn more & support us.
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In this episode of OTT Talks, co-hosts Enrique Mendizabal and Samar Verma speak with Ngu Wah Win, Research Director at the Knowledge Circle Foundation and an alumna of the School for Thinktankers, about how Myanmarâs think tank and evidence-informed policy landscape has changed before and after 2021.
The conversation covers how think tanks have shifted toward survival, advocacy, documenting human rights abuses, safeguarding displaced researchers, countering misinformation, and using digital platforms to amplify marginalised voices, while also facing unstable and short-term project-based donor funding that limits long-term capacity building and succession planning.
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About the guest:
Ngu Wah Win is a Research Director at the Knowledge Circle Foundation, a non-profit organisation focusing on inclusive development in Southeast Asia. Before joining KCF in 2022, she worked as a senior consultant for multilateral organisations, bilateral aid agencies, and international NGOs, contributing to reform initiatives in Myanmar, including public financial management, agricultural value chains, and migration governance. She also served on the National Statistical Committee, Agriculture Policy Unit, and inter-ministerial task forces, conducting policy research until 2020. Ngu Wah Win holds a Master of Public Administration in Economic Policy Management from Columbia University, specialising in finance and banking, and degrees in economics and statistics from Chiang Mai University and Yangon University of Economics. Currently, she is pursuing a PhD in Economics at Chiang Mai University regarding labour migration, remittances, and political economy. She is also a Fellow at the University of British Columbia, Canada.
About the podcast:
OTT Talks is a platform for sharing learning among think tanks, funders, and other policy actors on a range of topics, from think tank governance to communicating research.
Learn more.
This episode is part of On Think Tanksâ broader collaboration with the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) under the Knowledge for Democracy Myanmar-II (K4DM-II) initiative, which aims to strengthen Myanmarâs policy research ecosystem and support think tank leaders operating in complex and high-risk environments. As part of this project, IDRC supports Myanmar think tank professionals' participation in the School for Thinktankers, On Think Tanksâ flagship leadership and capacity development programme. Their engagement contributes to a longer-term effort to preserve leadership capacity and institutional knowledge, and to ensure that Myanmarâs think tank community is prepared to contribute to future policy and development opportunities as conditions evolve.
About On Think Tanks:
On Think Tanks focuses on a range of issues relevant to think tanks, their staff, and supporters. We hope that our initiatives and the articles and resources we publish will support think tanks in making short- and long-term decisions more strategically, resulting in better policy advice and policy outcomes for all.
Learn more & support us.
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In this episode of OTT Talks, co-hosts Enrique Mendizabal and Samar Verma speak with Min Zar Ni, a PhD student at the University of Southern Denmark and former Deputy Director of Research at Myanmarâs Centre for Economic and Social Development, about how Myanmarâs political upheaval has reshaped the countryâs think tank and policy research landscape.
The discussion explores how think tanks have shifted from direct policy influence and stakeholder engagement toward documenting realities and providing analysis with limited outreach, alongside challenges such as safety risks, polarisation, constrained dialogue, weakened long-term donor support, and the loss of talent as researchers leave the country.
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About the guest:
Min Zar Ni Lin is a doctoral student in the Global Sustainable Production section at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU). Until early 2024, he served as the Myanmar Team Leader for the Efficient and Sustainable Apparel Myanmar (ESAM) project of SDU. This hands-on initiative aimed to support garment factories and their workers in Myanmar by enhancing productivity and improving occupational health and safety (OHS) conditions in the workplace. Prior to this, he worked as the Deputy Director of Research at the Centre for Economic and Social Development (CESD) in Myanmar.
About the podcast:
OTT Talks is a platform for sharing learning among think tanks, funders, and other policy actors on a range of topics, from think tank governance to communicating research.
Learn more.
This episode is part of On Think Tanksâ broader collaboration with the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) under the Knowledge for Democracy Myanmar-II (K4DM-II) initiative, which aims to strengthen Myanmarâs policy research ecosystem and support think tank leaders operating in complex and high-risk environments. As part of this project, IDRC supports Myanmar think tank professionals' participation in the School for Thinktankers, On Think Tanksâ flagship leadership and capacity development programme. Their engagement contributes to a longer-term effort to preserve leadership capacity and institutional knowledge, and to ensure that Myanmarâs think tank community is prepared to contribute to future policy and development opportunities as conditions evolve.
About On Think Tanks:
On Think Tanks focuses on a range of issues relevant to think tanks, their staff, and supporters. We hope that our initiatives and the articles and resources we publish will support think tanks in making short- and long-term decisions more strategically, resulting in better policy advice and policy outcomes for all.
Learn more & support us.
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In this episode of OTT Talks, co-hosts Enrique Mendizabal and Samar Verma speak with Napas Thain, inaugural research fellow at the Myanmar Policy and Community Knowledge Hub (MYPAC) at the University of Toronto, about Myanmarâs political crisis since 2021 and how it has reshaped the countryâs think tank and research landscape.
The conversation examines the evolution of think tanks from limited information flow pre-2011 to liberalisation-era institutions such as Egress and the Myanmar Peace Center, shifts under the NLD toward advisor networks and smaller issue-based organisations, and the post-coup displacement of research and media into cross-border and diaspora settings.
Napas discusses current challengesâincluding funding cuts and shifting aid priorities, as well as the legal and operational precarity faced by exiled researchers in Southeast Asiaâalongside the role of think tanks in countering misinformation.
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About the guest:
Napas Thein is the Inaugural Research Fellow of the Myanmar Policy and Community Knowledge Hub at the University of Toronto, where he focuses on Myanmarâs political transition, diaspora engagement, and regional diplomacy. He currently works as an Associate at McMillan Vantage, providing political analysis, policy research, and strategic government-relations support to clients across Ontario and federal government files. Napas previously served as a Research Fellow with the UBC Myanmar Initiative and Chiang Mai University, conducting extensive field interviews with civil society, ethnic resistance, and governance actors. He has also worked as a global security analyst at Kinross Gold, a research assistant in urban economics, and a constituency assistant in the House of Commons. A graduate of the Munk Schoolâs Master of Public Policy, Napas has written for The Globe and Mail and the C.D. Howe Institute and remains active in Myanmar-related research and diaspora advocacy.
About the podcast:
OTT Talks is a platform for sharing learning among think tanks, funders, and other policy actors on a range of topics, from think tank governance to communicating research.
Learn more.
This episode is part of On Think Tanksâ broader collaboration with the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) under the Knowledge for Democracy Myanmar-II (K4DM-II) initiative, which aims to strengthen Myanmarâs policy research ecosystem and support think tank leaders operating in complex and high-risk environments. As part of this project, IDRC supports Myanmar think tank professionals' participation in the School for Thinktankers, On Think Tanksâ flagship leadership and capacity development programme. Their engagement contributes to a longer-term effort to preserve leadership capacity and institutional knowledge, and to ensure that Myanmarâs think tank community is prepared to contribute to future policy and development opportunities as conditions evolve.
About On Think Tanks:
On Think Tanks focuses on a range of issues relevant to think tanks, their staff, and supporters. We hope that our initiatives and the articles and resources we publish will support think tanks in making short- and long-term decisions more strategically, resulting in better policy advice and policy outcomes for all.
Learn more & support us.
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How has the role of think tanks in Germany and Europe evolved in an era of polarisation, disinformation, and shifting funding models? In this episode, we speak with Dr Daniela Schwarzer, Executive Board Member at the Bertelsmann Foundation, former Director and CEO of the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP), and founder of the Europe programme at the German Marshall Fund. With more than a decade of leadership experience across different organisations, Daniela offers a unique perspective on the transformations shaping the European think tank landscape.
She reflects on how policy debates in Berlin have become more dynamic and contested, how foreign and domestic politics are increasingly intertwined, and why evidence-based analysis remains vital in times of uncertainty. We discuss the growing challenges of independence, credibility, and fundingâparticularly as foundations shift from grant-making to implementing their own projects, and as governments and donors become more cautious in their support.
Daniela also shares lessons from her leadership journey: the importance of team-building, developing new skill sets, and creating practical, forward-looking policy advice in a rapidly changing environment. Finally, she offers candid advice to future thinktankers: diversify your career experiences, remain open to collaboration, and always look ahead to what will matter tomorrow.
Join us for this wide-ranging conversation on the evolving role of think tanks in Germany and across Europe.
This episode is part of a series, Think tanks in a changing Europe, supported by the Open Society Foundations. To listen to the whole series, visit: https://onthinktanks.org/podcast/podcast-series-think-tanks-in-a-changing-europe/
To learn more about Bertelsmann Stiftung, please visit: https://www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de/en/home
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OTT Talks is a platform for sharing learning among think tanks, funders, and other policy actors on a range of topics, from think tank governance to communicating research.
Learn more: https://onthinktanks.org/podcast/
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About On Think Tanks:
On Think Tanks focuses on a range of issues relevant to think tanks, their staff, and supporters. We hope that our initiatives and the articles and resources we publish will support think tanks in making short- and long-term decisions more strategically, resulting in better policy advice and policy outcomes for all.
Read more:
https://onthinktanks.org/initiative/evidence-generation-and-communication/on-think-tanks-programme/
Support us:
https://onthinktanks.org/support/
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What does it take to maintain independence while navigating the turbulence of national crisis and European transformation? In this episode, we speak with Loukas Tsoukalis, President of the Board at ELIAMEP, Greeceâs most prominent think tank on European and foreign policy.
Drawing on over two decades of leadership, Loukas reflects on what it meant to lead a think tank during one of the most difficult periods in recent Greek historyâfrom the financial crisis to growing political polarisation. He shares how ELIAMEP positioned itself as both a national and European actor, often acting as a bridge between Athens and Brussels, sometimes uncomfortably so.
We discuss the importance of âspeaking truth to powerâ in environments where conforming to the official line is often rewarded, and how true independence requires strategic funding decisions, credibility, and a willingness to be unpopular. Loukas also highlights the risks of self-censorship, the value of internal self-criticism, and the need for think tanks to move beyond technocratic neutrality.
From institutional survival to long-term influence, this conversation is a masterclass in navigating the responsibilities and risks of public policy work in a rapidly changing Europe.
This episode is part of a series, Think tanks in a changing Europe, supported by the Open Society Foundations. To listen to the whole series, visit: https://onthinktanks.org/podcast/podcast-series-think-tanks-in-a-changing-europe/
To learn more about ELIAMEP, please visit: https://www.eliamep.gr/en
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OTT Talks is a platform for sharing learning among think tanks, funders, and other policy actors on a range of topics, from think tank governance to communicating research.
Learn more: https://onthinktanks.org/podcast/
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About On Think Tanks:
On Think Tanks focuses on a range of issues of relevance and interest to think tanks as well as their staff and supporters. We hope that our initiatives and the articles and resources we publish will support think tanks to be more strategic in the ways they make short and long-term decisions, and that this will result in better policy advice and policy outcomes for all.
Read more:
https://onthinktanks.org/initiative/evidence-generation-and-communication/on-think-tanks-programme/
Support us:
https://onthinktanks.org/support/
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In this bonus episode, we continue our conversation with Mathieu LefĂšvre, Co-Founder and CEO of More in Common, to explore some of the critical forces shaping civic life and political discourse in Europe today.
We begin with a look at the current imbalance in funding within the market of ideas, where emerging players on the far right are gaining ground, and what this means for the future of democratic debate.
We also discuss new legislation in France and the UK that limits access to social media for under-16s, and how regulation might evolve to address broader concerns around focus, agency, and the online spaces that influence young citizens.
Finally, we ask whether traditional political categories are still helpful in understanding how people engage with politics, or if itâs time for a new framework that reflects the complexity of public opinion today.
This bonus episode is part of a series, Think tanks in a changing Europe, supported by the Open Society Foundations. To listen to the whole series, visit: https://onthinktanks.org/podcast/podcast-series-think-tanks-in-a-changing-europe/
To learn more about More in Common, please visit: https://www.moreincommon.com/
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OTT Talks is a platform to share learning among think tanks, funders and other policy actors on a range of topics from think tank governance to communicating research.
Learn more: https://onthinktanks.org/podcast/
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About On Think Tanks:
On Think Tanks focuses on a range of issues of relevance and interest to think tanks as well as their staff and supporters. We hope that our initiatives and the articles and resources we publish will support think tanks to be more strategic in the ways they make short and long-term decisions; and that this will result in better policy advice and policy outcomes for all.
Read more:
https://onthinktanks.org/initiative/evidence-generation-and-communication/on-think-tanks-programme/
Support us:
https://onthinktanks.org/support/
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What does it take to lead a people-centred policy organisation in todayâs polarised and fast-changing Europe? In this episode, we speak with Mathieu LefĂšvre, co-founder and CEO of More in Common, a non-profit that uses evidence and social psychology to understand what brings societies together and what drives them apart.
Mathieu reflects on the political fatigue spreading across Europe, and how rising polarisation and disinformation are reshaping the role of evidence in public life. In todayâs climate, he argues, evidence is no longer just a tool; itâs a statement of values.
Drawing on nearly a decade of leadership, Mathieu shares lessons from building an organisation rooted in curiosity about people: from bringing polling in-house and investing in team culture, to embracing the political dimensions of their work.
We also explore the challenges think tanks face when it comes to change, funding, and engaging wider audiences. In a sector at risk of drifting away from peopleâs lived experiences, Mathieu offers a compelling vision of relevance, resilience, and hope.
This episode is part of a series, Think tanks in a changing Europe, supported by the Open Society Foundations. To listen to the whole series, visit: https://onthinktanks.org/podcast/podcast-series-think-tanks-in-a-changing-europe/
To learn more about More in Common, please visit: https://www.moreincommon.com/
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OTT Talks is a platform to share learning among think tanks, funders and other policy actors on a range of topics from think tank governance to communicating research.
Learn more: https://onthinktanks.org/podcast/
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About On Think Tanks:
On Think Tanks focuses on a range of issues of relevance and interest to think tanks as well as their staff and supporters. We hope that our initiatives and the articles and resources we publish will support think tanks to be more strategic in the ways they make short and long-term decisions, and that this will result in better policy advice and policy outcomes for all.
Read more:
https://onthinktanks.org/initiative/evidence-generation-and-communication/on-think-tanks-programme/
Support us:
https://onthinktanks.org/support/
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After seven candid conversations with think tank leaders across Europe, hosts Goran Buldioski and Enrique Mendizabal come together to reflect on the insights shared in these two seasons of Running think tanks in a changing Europe.
What has surprised them the most? What are the common threads and the striking differences between how leaders from across the region understand their role, their impact, and their future? In this episode, Goran and Enrique delve into the changing political and funding landscape in which think tanks operate, the pressures that come with defending democratic values, and the importance of stepping outside the sectorâs intellectual comfort zones.
They also explore what was missing from these conversations, what we still need to better understand about the day-to-day realities of running a think tank in todayâs Europe, and what future episodes could explore and uncover.
Join us for this special episode that steps back from the interviews to connect the dots, highlight what weâve learned, and invite you to listen (or re-listen) to the conversations shaping our understanding of European think tanks today.
This episode is part of a series, Think tanks in a changing Europe, supported by the Open Society Foundations. To listen to the whole series, visit: https://onthinktanks.org/podcast/podcast-series-think-tanks-in-a-changing-europe
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OTT Talks is a platform to share learning among think tanks, funders and other policy actors on a range of topics from think tank governance to communicating research.
Learn more: https://onthinktanks.org/podcast/
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About On Think Tanks:
On Think Tanks works to better understand and support think tanks. We hope that our initiatives and the articles and resources we publish will support think tanks to be more strategic in the ways they make short and long-term decisions; and that this will result in better policy advice and policy outcomes for all.
Read more:
https://onthinktanks.org/on-think-tanks-programme/
Support us:
https://onthinktanks.org/support/
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