Introduction

The theory of norm diffusion provides a fundamental framework for analyzing the emergence, cascade, and internalization of norms in global health governance. As think tanks combine policy expertise with sharp responsiveness to emerging crises, this study investigates their specific role in global health governance, thereby providing a comprehensive understanding of their contribution to the norm diffusion mechanism.

Methods

We collected reports from 12 globally representative think tanks, covering the period from June 15, 2007, to December 31, 2022. Using the R programming language, we employed both quantitative and qualitative methods, including Structural Topic Modeling (STM) and co-occurrence analysis, to identify topic priorities and correlations between key terms.

Globally, think tank discussions on health governance norms center on four primary areas: the global economy and trade, responses to infectious diseases and public health crises, cooperation and aid in global health governance, and the social impacts of health norms. Regionally and temporally, think tanks in the United States, East Asia, Europe, and parts of the Global South prioritize health governance norms differently, with these priorities evolving over time in response to varying levels of development and the specific Public Health Emergencies of International Concern (PHEIC) encountered. Moreover, think tanks underscore the pivotal role of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations (UN) in shaping global health governance that these international organizations are central to managing health emergencies, setting global standards, and coordinating international cooperation.

This study found that think tanks serve as norm entrepreneurs, promoters, and internalizers at different stages, supporting norm introduction, adoption, and integration of global governance health norms. Our findings underscore the potential for policymakers to harness the expertise and policy recommendations of think tanks to address future health challenges, thereby enhancing the resilience and sustainability of global health systems.

Global Health Governance, Norm Diffusion, Think Tanks, Policy Influence, International Cooperation

Yiwen Zhang*

School of Politics and International Relations, East China Normal University

Yuhang Chen*

School of Journalism, Fudan University, Shanghai

Yimeng Wu

College of Foreign Languages and Literatures, Fudan University

Fan Wang (Corresponding author)

Fudan Development Institute, Fudan University

* These authors contributed equally.