Think tanks ideológicos e a formação da opinião pública: reflexões sobre grupos conservadores, suas redes e os estudos de comunicação

Abstract

The article reflects on conservative and ideological think tanks, understood as apparently independent groups that defend particular perspectives in the public sphere. Although the actions of these groups are primarily oriented to influence public opinion and the media, these entities are absent in the communication studies. Aiming to overcome this gap, the article undertakes a literature review on think tanks, identifying the emergence of its conservative ideological modality and its peculiarities. Then, it explores two historical documents that helped to consolidate this phenomenon, revealing some of the central characteristics of such groups: the occultation of the private interests and the formation of networks formed by groups of different institutional designs. Finally, it points out possibilities for future analyzes about these networks and notices some of their traces in Brazil.