CSIS

CSIS
Name	Center for Strategic and International Studies
Established	1962
Founder	David M. Abshire; Admiral Arleigh Burke
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.
Type	think tank
Focus	international relations; defense; energy; technology; economics; regional studies
Leader title	President and CEO
Leader name	John J. Hamre

CSIS

The Center for Strategic and International Studies is a Washington, D.C.-based policy research organization focused on international security, foreign policy, defense, technology, and regional analysis. It convenes policymakers, diplomats, military leaders, corporate executives, and scholars to produce policy recommendations and analysis used by officials from the United States Department of State, United States Department of Defense, United States Congress, and international institutions such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the European Union, and the World Bank. Its work frequently appears in outlets like The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and on broadcast platforms including CNN and BBC News.

Overview

Founded in the early 1960s in the milieu of the Cold War and post-Cuban Missile Crisis strategic reassessment, the organization developed programs covering Asia, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the Western Hemisphere, alongside thematic initiatives on defense, cybersecurity, energy, and trade. Its analysts frequently testify before congressional committees including the House Armed Services Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and collaborate with military institutions such as the National Defense University and the United States Naval War College. The center hosts public events attended by figures from the White House, the Pentagon, foreign ministries, multinational corporations like Boeing and Lockheed Martin, and philanthropic organizations such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

History

The organization was established amid strategic debates following the Bay of Pigs Invasion and during the tenure of presidents including John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. Early leadership included figures connected to the Truman administration and senior naval officers who had served in theaters like the Pacific Theatre of World War II and in NATO planning. During the Vietnam War era and the subsequent détente period involving the SALT I negotiations, the center expanded research into arms control and regional security. In the post-Cold War period, analysts pivoted to issues stemming from the Gulf War, the expansion of NATO, and the rise of China as a strategic competitor. After the 9/11 attacks, programs on counterterrorism, homeland security, and the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq became prominent. More recent decades have seen emphasis on great-power competition, cyber policy related to actors like Russia and North Korea, and technology governance concerning companies such as Microsoft and Google.

Organization and Leadership

The institution is led by a President and CEO and governed by a board of trustees that includes former cabinet officials from the Reagan administration and the Clinton administration, retired flag officers from the United States Navy and United States Army, and executives from multinational firms such as Raytheon Technologies and ExxonMobil. Research is organized into regional programs—Asia, Europe, Africa, Latin America, Middle East—and thematic centers for defense, energy, global health, economics, and technology policy. Senior fellows and adjunct scholars have included former ambassadors to countries like Japan, Germany, and Saudi Arabia; retired generals and admirals; and academics from universities including Harvard University, Princeton University, and Johns Hopkins University. The advisory network often involves collaboration with staff from the International Monetary Fund and the United Nations.

Activities and Research Programs

The organization conducts policy research, strategic dialogues, scenario planning, war-gaming, and convening series such as annual summits and expert roundtables. Program outputs include policy briefs addressing issues like maritime security in the South China Sea, sanctions policy toward Iran, defense posture in NATO's eastern flank near Ukraine, energy transitions involving OPEC members, and supply-chain resilience tied to firms such as Apple Inc. and Samsung. It runs fellowships and internships attracting alumni from institutions like the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and the Foreign Service Institute, and partners with research centers such as the Brookings Institution and the Heritage Foundation on joint projects.

Funding and Governance

Funding derives from a mix of corporate donors, philanthropic foundations, government grants, and individual contributions. Corporate supporters have included firms in the defense and energy sectors, while philanthropic funders have included foundations associated with figures like George Soros and the Ford Foundation. Government contracts and grants have come from agencies such as the Department of Defense and the U.S. Agency for International Development. Governance involves disclosure policies and conflict-of-interest rules; debates over donor influence have prompted adoption of transparency measures similar to those used by other research organizations like the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the Council on Foreign Relations.

Influence, Criticism, and Controversies

The institution's policy recommendations have shaped debates on interventions in Iraq, posture toward China, and sanctions regimes against Russia after the Crimea crisis. Critics—including academics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, journalists at The New Yorker, and advocacy groups such as Human Rights Watch—have questioned ties to corporate donors, alleged revolving-door employment with administrations like the Bush administration and the Obama administration, and potential bias in analysis of defense procurements involving companies like Northrop Grumman. Defenders point to peer-reviewed methodologies, public events featuring figures like former secretaries from the Department of State, and partnerships with universities including Georgetown University.

Publications and Media Presence

Outputs include policy briefs, working papers, op-eds by fellows in newspapers such as The Financial Times and The Washington Post, and multimedia content distributed via platforms like YouTube and Twitter. Major series have examined strategic competition with China, cyber operations linked to Fancy Bear allegations, energy geopolitics involving Saudi Arabia, and health-security intersections highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic. The center's staff frequently appear on broadcast programs on networks such as NPR, Fox News, and Al Jazeera to discuss developments ranging from the Syrian Civil War to trade disputes involving the World Trade Organization.

Category:Think tanks in the United States Category:Foreign policy think tanks