Think Tank

The expression « Think Thank » refers to a group of people within some sort of laboratory of reflection center, leading research on the economic, social, politics issues.
The outlines of this notion are still rather blurry despite the vulgarization of the expression. As a matter of fact, the reference and use of the word "think tank" are far more common in the Anglo-Saxon tradition than in France, even though we can observe a form of institutionalization of the trend. [1]
Other than the matter of the debate itself, the issue around think tanks also opens up the reflection on the process of democratic decision and its possible interferences, especially through influencing practices on the public decisions which looks like lobbying.

Notes

[1Think tanks aim at obtaining a growing influence in the perspective of presidential elections: cf. Sophie Dufau, Research on think tanks: As the 2012 presidential election programs are being prepared, how do these "political ideas club" work? File Mediapart : http://www.mediapart.fr/dossier/france/enquete-sur-les-think-tanks