Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.

This project sought to address the changing role of ideas and intellectuals in the public discourses of contemporary 'knowledge societies'. To this end, the ethos and development of two ideas institutions were investigated - the think tank Demos and the LSE. The project sought to reconceptualise the general dynamics of societal ideas and the role of contemporary intellectuals by suggesting that ideas are increasingly 'vehicular' in character, that is, flexible, mobile, pragmatic, inclusive, and geared towards producing an image of their intellectual 'mediators' as agenda-setting agents in an increasingly media-orientated public sphere. Together with the project's analysis of two prominent 'vehicular ideas' - 'Third Way' and 'knowledge society' - the case studies suggest that this perspective is at least fruitful and challenging in understanding contemporary forms of 'ideas work'. Another research task was to assess whether think tanks and universities are converging in style and practice, and some evidence for this was found. However, the influence runs in both directions, with think tanks like Demos incorporating several typically academic norms. The study produced 33 interview transcripts, 18 research diaries, 14 working papers, 13 possible publications, and a journal special issue. Two successful public meetings were held with the hosts at the LSE and Demos.

Main Topics:

The main topics covered include: public intellectuals, policy discourse, knowledge networks, and think tanks. The 'ideas' project was carried out at two main sites, which were selected for their perceived profile in the development of policy ideas and their presence in contemporary policy discourse in the UK. The project drew on a mix of methods for collecting and interpreting material, including semi-structured interviews, on-site observation, and the reading of selected sets of literature produced at the case-study sites. The material deposited at the UK Data Archive (UKDA) reflects these three approaches, and includes: 25 transcribed interviews with key individuals at the LSE, the think tank Demos, and other think tanksfour research 'diaries' recording on-site observationssix working papers, including literature surveys from the field and from the case study sitesthe research project end-of-award report and presentations/publications at the time of data deposit

Purposive selection/case studies

Face-to-face interview

Observation

Diaries

Content analysis