学术与智库:英国查塔姆研究所的发展历程

Academic Research and Think Tank Construction:The Development of Chatham House

英国查塔姆研究所即英国皇家国际事务研究所,是具有悠久历史和广泛影响的全球著名外交智库,其发展历程充分展现了学术研究支撑与智库发展建设之间的有机互动。自创立以来,该所就致力于国际事务思想理念的研讨和传播。在两次世界大战期间,作为独立的外交政策研究机构,该所不仅开创了“非官方政策干预”的国际事务处理新途径,还为战后世界秩序重建提供了“世界联邦”和“世界政府”两种设计构想。独立性(非官方性)和前瞻性是该机构得以存续至今并维持行业影响力和学术威望的重要保障。查塔姆研究所的百年历程,虽然为建设新兴全球高端智库提供了可资借鉴的经验,但也暴露出难以摆脱的精英主义特质、帝国主义传统和西方中心主义偏见。

Chatham House, the Royal Institute of International Affairs(RIIA), is a world-renowned diplomatic think tank with a long history and comprehensive influence. The evolution of Chatham House fully shows the interaction between academic research support and the development and construction of think tanks. Since its establishment, Chatham House has been dedicated to the discussion and dissemination of ideas and views on international affairs. As an independent foreign policy research institute, it not only created a new way of dealing with international affairs during the two World Wars: Unofficial policy intervention, but also contributed two design conceives of “world federation” and “world government” to the reconstruction of the post-war world order. Meanwhile, the independence(unofficial institution) and foresight are important guarantees for the institution to survive and maintain its credibility and academic influence in the field. Although the century-old history of Chatham Institute provides valuable experiences for emerging global highend think tanks, it has also suffered from some problems, such as the elitism trait, imperialist tradition and Western centralism bias that the institute has always been difficult to get away from during its development.