Chatham House
Encyclopedia
Chatham House, formally known as The Royal Institute of International Affairs, is a non-profit, non-governmental organization
based in London
whose mission is to analyse and promote the understanding of major international issues and current affairs
. It is regarded as one of the world's leading organizations in this area. It takes its name from its premises, a grade I listed 18th century house in St. James's Square
designed in part by Henry Flitcroft
and thrice occupied by British Prime Ministers including William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham
.
The current chairman of the Council of Chatham House is Dr. DeAnne Julius
and its Director is Dr. Robin Niblett, who succeeded Professor Victor Bulmer-Thomas
in January 2007. The three Research Directors are Bernice Lee, Dr Paola Subacchi and Alex Vines OBE. Keith Burnet is Director of Communications.
Chatham House was named the top non-US think tank
by Foreign Policy
magazine. Chatham House was also listed as one of the top "scholars" for being among a handful of stars of the think tank world who are regularly relied upon to set agendas and craft new initiatives.
Distinguished people have served as President of Chatham House, including Baroness Shirley Williams
, professor of electoral politics at Harvard University and leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords (2001–2004).
Disseminating their research findings is core to Chatham House's mission, and Chatham House is routinely used as a source of information for media organisations seeking background or experts upon matters involving major international issues.
Although it has been alleged that Chatham House reflects a pro-establishment view of the world (due to donations from large corporations, governments and other organisations), Chatham House is nevertheless membership-based and anyone may join. It has a range of different types of membership including Major Corporate, Corporate, Academic, Individual and Under 35.
, which provides that members attending a seminar may discuss the results of the seminar in the outside world, but may not discuss who attended or identify what a specific individual said. The Chatham House Rule evolved to facilitate frank and honest discussion on controversial or unpopular issues by speakers who may not have otherwise had the appropriate forum to speak freely. However, most Chatham House meetings are held 'on the record', and not under the Chatham House Rule.
Recent reports and papers
In July 2005 Chatham House published a major report on terrorism in the UK. A key problem for the UK in preventing terrorism in Britain is the government's position as 'pillion passenger' to the United States' war on terror. Formulating counter-terrorism policy in this way has left the 'ally in the driving seat' to do the steering. This was one of the key findings of Security, Terrorism and the UK, which received unprecedented media coverage.
In August 2006 Chatham House released a report titled Iran, its Neighbours and the Regional Crises which said that the influence of Iran in Iraq had overtaken that of the US. The report asserted that any threatening action towards Iran could result in mass destabilization across the Middle East.
In December 2006 the departing director of Chatham House, Victor Bulmer-Thomas, produced a briefing paper on UK foreign policy during the Blair era entitled Blair’s Foreign Policy and its Possible Successor(s). The paper generated a media storm as it heavily criticized the Prime Minister for allying the UK too closely to the U.S. at the expense of closer ties with Europe.
In October 2008 Chatham House published a paper, Piracy in Somalia: Threatening Global Trade, Feeding Local Wars, by Roger Middleton. The briefing paper warned of the escalating dangers of piracy in the region and how at the root of the issue was the collapse of the Somali state and over a decade of failed international engagement. The paper featured widely in the UK and international press.
In October 2010 Chatham House published a report entitled Strategy in Austerity, The Security and Defence of the United Kingdom, by Paul Cornish. The report offered a framework for assessing the quality and durability of the UK government's Strategic Defence and Security Review. Briefing Papers were also published on Iraq, Yemen, Cyber-Warfare, and the legal implications of Drones (UAV’s) amongst others.
Addresses and periodical publications
In addition to undertaking wide-ranging research, Chatham House hosts high-profile speakers from around the world. Recent speakers include David Cameron
, Ban Ki-moon
, Hamid Karzai
, Condoleezza Rice
, Gordon Brown
and Pervez Musharraf
. Chatham House also houses the key scholarly and policy journal International Affairs
, as well as a monthly magazine The World Today.
The Royal Institute of International Affairs was founded in 1920 as the Institute of International Affairs following a meeting at the previous year's Paris Peace Conference
. The first chairman was Robert Cecil
, while Lionel Curtis
served as honorary secretary. Arnold J. Toynbee
later became director. The Council on Foreign Relations
, its American sister institute, was established the following year. Chatham House's well-known headquarters at 10 St. James's Square
, London
, was donated to the institute in 1923, having previously been the home of three British Prime Ministers
- Pitt the Elder, Edward Stanley
and William Ewart Gladstone
- and also of the Earl
and Countess
of Blessington.
The name of the building grew to be so synonymous with the institute that it was officially rebranded as "Chatham House" in September 2004. However, the "Royal Institute of International Affairs" remains its legal name and is still sometimes used interchangeably with "Chatham House".
The Chatham House building is located just a few metres from the former Libyan embassy building where the 1984 Libyan Embassy Siege took place.
Soon after its foundation the Institute was renamed the British Institute of International Affairs but in 1926 the name was changed again to the Royal Institute of International Affairs.
A recent addition to the calendar of events is The BBC Today/Chatham House lecture series developed with the Today programme. The series was designed to promote debate and discussion on key international issues of the day. At the inaugural lecture in 2006, Condoleezza Rice
defended the U.S. decision to go to war with Iraq.
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
based in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
whose mission is to analyse and promote the understanding of major international issues and current affairs
Current affairs (news format)
Current Affairs is a genre of broadcast journalism where the emphasis is on detailed analysis and discussion of news stories that have recently occurred or are ongoing at the time of broadcast....
. It is regarded as one of the world's leading organizations in this area. It takes its name from its premises, a grade I listed 18th century house in St. James's Square
St. James's Square
St. James's Square is the only square in the exclusive St James's district of the City of Westminster. It has predominantly Georgian and neo-Georgian architecture and a private garden in the centre...
designed in part by Henry Flitcroft
Henry Flitcroft
Henry Flitcroft was a major English architect in the second generation of Palladianism. He came from a simple background: his father was a labourer in the gardens at Hampton Court and he began as a joiner by trade. Working as a carpenter at Burlington House, he fell from a scaffold and broke his leg...
and thrice occupied by British Prime Ministers including William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham
William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham
William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham PC was a British Whig statesman who led Britain during the Seven Years' War...
.
The current chairman of the Council of Chatham House is Dr. DeAnne Julius
DeAnne Julius
DeAnne Shirley Julius is a former CIA analyst and a British-based American economist, notable as a founder member of the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England. She has also worked at the World Bank and extensively in the private sector, and since July 2003 she has been Chairman of...
and its Director is Dr. Robin Niblett, who succeeded Professor Victor Bulmer-Thomas
Victor Bulmer-Thomas
Victor Bulmer-Thomas is a British academic who has specialised in Latin America and the Caribbean. Born in London, his first experience of the Americas was as a V.S.O. in Belize , where he taught several of the current leaders of the country....
in January 2007. The three Research Directors are Bernice Lee, Dr Paola Subacchi and Alex Vines OBE. Keith Burnet is Director of Communications.
Chatham House was named the top non-US think tank
Think tank
A think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...
by Foreign Policy
Foreign Policy
Foreign Policy is a bimonthly American magazine founded in 1970 by Samuel P. Huntington and Warren Demian Manshel.Originally, the magazine was a quarterly...
magazine. Chatham House was also listed as one of the top "scholars" for being among a handful of stars of the think tank world who are regularly relied upon to set agendas and craft new initiatives.
Distinguished people have served as President of Chatham House, including Baroness Shirley Williams
Shirley Williams, Baroness Williams of Crosby
Shirley Williams, Baroness Williams of Crosby PC is a British politician and academic. Originally a Labour Member of Parliament and Cabinet Minister, she was one of the "Gang of Four" rebels who founded the Social Democratic Party in 1981...
, professor of electoral politics at Harvard University and leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords (2001–2004).
Role
Drawing upon its members, Chatham House aims to promote debate on international affairs and policy responses. Their independent research and analysis on global, regional and country-specific challenges is intended to offer new ideas to decision makers on how these could best be tackled from the near to the long term.Disseminating their research findings is core to Chatham House's mission, and Chatham House is routinely used as a source of information for media organisations seeking background or experts upon matters involving major international issues.
Although it has been alleged that Chatham House reflects a pro-establishment view of the world (due to donations from large corporations, governments and other organisations), Chatham House is nevertheless membership-based and anyone may join. It has a range of different types of membership including Major Corporate, Corporate, Academic, Individual and Under 35.
Chatham House Rule
Chatham House is the origin of the confidentiality rule known as the Chatham House RuleChatham House Rule
The Chatham House Rule is a core principle that governs the confidentiality of the source of information received at a meeting. Since its refinement in 2002, the rule states:...
, which provides that members attending a seminar may discuss the results of the seminar in the outside world, but may not discuss who attended or identify what a specific individual said. The Chatham House Rule evolved to facilitate frank and honest discussion on controversial or unpopular issues by speakers who may not have otherwise had the appropriate forum to speak freely. However, most Chatham House meetings are held 'on the record', and not under the Chatham House Rule.
Research and publications
Chatham House research is structured around three areas: Energy, Environment and Resource Governance; International Economics; and Regional and Security Studies. The full range of Programmes includes: Africa; the Americas; Asia; Energy, Environment and Development; Europe; Global Health Security; International Economics; International Law; International Security; Middle East and North Africa; and Russia and Eurasia.Recent reports and papers
In July 2005 Chatham House published a major report on terrorism in the UK. A key problem for the UK in preventing terrorism in Britain is the government's position as 'pillion passenger' to the United States' war on terror. Formulating counter-terrorism policy in this way has left the 'ally in the driving seat' to do the steering. This was one of the key findings of Security, Terrorism and the UK, which received unprecedented media coverage.
In August 2006 Chatham House released a report titled Iran, its Neighbours and the Regional Crises which said that the influence of Iran in Iraq had overtaken that of the US. The report asserted that any threatening action towards Iran could result in mass destabilization across the Middle East.
In December 2006 the departing director of Chatham House, Victor Bulmer-Thomas, produced a briefing paper on UK foreign policy during the Blair era entitled Blair’s Foreign Policy and its Possible Successor(s). The paper generated a media storm as it heavily criticized the Prime Minister for allying the UK too closely to the U.S. at the expense of closer ties with Europe.
In October 2008 Chatham House published a paper, Piracy in Somalia: Threatening Global Trade, Feeding Local Wars, by Roger Middleton. The briefing paper warned of the escalating dangers of piracy in the region and how at the root of the issue was the collapse of the Somali state and over a decade of failed international engagement. The paper featured widely in the UK and international press.
In October 2010 Chatham House published a report entitled Strategy in Austerity, The Security and Defence of the United Kingdom, by Paul Cornish. The report offered a framework for assessing the quality and durability of the UK government's Strategic Defence and Security Review. Briefing Papers were also published on Iraq, Yemen, Cyber-Warfare, and the legal implications of Drones (UAV’s) amongst others.
Addresses and periodical publications
In addition to undertaking wide-ranging research, Chatham House hosts high-profile speakers from around the world. Recent speakers include David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
, Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon is the eighth and current Secretary-General of the United Nations, after succeeding Kofi Annan in 2007. Before going on to be Secretary-General, Ban was a career diplomat in South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the United Nations. He entered diplomatic service the year he...
, Hamid Karzai
Hamid Karzai
Hamid Karzai, GCMG is the 12th and current President of Afghanistan, taking office on 7 December 2004. He became a dominant political figure after the removal of the Taliban regime in late 2001...
, Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice is an American political scientist and diplomat. She served as the 66th United States Secretary of State, and was the second person to hold that office in the administration of President George W. Bush...
, Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
and Pervez Musharraf
Pervez Musharraf
Pervez Musharraf , is a retired four-star general who served as the 13th Chief of Army Staff and tenth President of Pakistan as well as tenth Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. Musharraf headed and led an administrative military government from October 1999 till August 2007. He ruled...
. Chatham House also houses the key scholarly and policy journal International Affairs
International Affairs (journal)
International Affairs is Britain's leading peer-reviewed academic journal of international relations founded by Chatham House in 1924. It is published bi-monthly by Wiley-Blackwell . Currently its editor-in-chief is Caroline Soper...
, as well as a monthly magazine The World Today.
History
Paris Peace Conference, 1919
The Paris Peace Conference was the meeting of the Allied victors following the end of World War I to set the peace terms for the defeated Central Powers following the armistices of 1918. It took place in Paris in 1919 and involved diplomats from more than 32 countries and nationalities...
. The first chairman was Robert Cecil
Robert Cecil, 1st Viscount Cecil of Chelwood
Edgar Algernon Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 1st Viscount Cecil of Chelwood CH, PC, QC , known as Lord Robert Cecil from 1868 to 1923, was a lawyer, politician and diplomat in the United Kingdom...
, while Lionel Curtis
Lionel Curtis
Lionel George Curtis was a British official and author. He advocated British Empire Federalism and, late in life, a world state...
served as honorary secretary. Arnold J. Toynbee
Arnold J. Toynbee
Arnold Joseph Toynbee CH was a British historian whose twelve-volume analysis of the rise and fall of civilizations, A Study of History, 1934–1961, was a synthesis of world history, a metahistory based on universal rhythms of rise, flowering and decline, which examined history from a global...
later became director. The Council on Foreign Relations
Council on Foreign Relations
The Council on Foreign Relations is an American nonprofit nonpartisan membership organization, publisher, and think tank specializing in U.S. foreign policy and international affairs...
, its American sister institute, was established the following year. Chatham House's well-known headquarters at 10 St. James's Square
St. James's Square
St. James's Square is the only square in the exclusive St James's district of the City of Westminster. It has predominantly Georgian and neo-Georgian architecture and a private garden in the centre...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, was donated to the institute in 1923, having previously been the home of three British Prime Ministers
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
- Pitt the Elder, Edward Stanley
Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby
Edward George Geoffrey Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby, KG, PC was an English statesman, three times Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and to date the longest serving leader of the Conservative Party. He was known before 1834 as Edward Stanley, and from 1834 to 1851 as Lord Stanley...
and William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone FRS FSS was a British Liberal statesman. In a career lasting over sixty years, he served as Prime Minister four separate times , more than any other person. Gladstone was also Britain's oldest Prime Minister, 84 years old when he resigned for the last time...
- and also of the Earl
Charles John Gardiner, 1st Earl of Blessington
Charles John Gardiner, 1st Earl of Blessington was an Irish earl best known for his marriage to Margaret Farmer, née Power, whom he married at St Mary's, Bryanston Square, London, on 16 February 1818...
and Countess
Marguerite, Countess of Blessington
Marguerite Gardiner, Countess of Blessington was an Irish novelist.Born Margaret Power near Clonmel in County Tipperary, Ireland, she was a daughter of Edmund Power, a small landowner...
of Blessington.
The name of the building grew to be so synonymous with the institute that it was officially rebranded as "Chatham House" in September 2004. However, the "Royal Institute of International Affairs" remains its legal name and is still sometimes used interchangeably with "Chatham House".
The Chatham House building is located just a few metres from the former Libyan embassy building where the 1984 Libyan Embassy Siege took place.
Soon after its foundation the Institute was renamed the British Institute of International Affairs but in 1926 the name was changed again to the Royal Institute of International Affairs.
A recent addition to the calendar of events is The BBC Today/Chatham House lecture series developed with the Today programme. The series was designed to promote debate and discussion on key international issues of the day. At the inaugural lecture in 2006, Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice is an American political scientist and diplomat. She served as the 66th United States Secretary of State, and was the second person to hold that office in the administration of President George W. Bush...
defended the U.S. decision to go to war with Iraq.
Chatham House Prize
The Chatham House Prize is an annual award presented to the statesperson deemed by members of the Royal Institute of International Affairs at Chatham House to have made the most significant contribution to the improvement of international relations in the previous year.See also
- Australian Institute of International AffairsAustralian Institute of International AffairsThe Australian Institute of International Affairs is a non-profit think tank based in Australia. Established in 1924 and formed as a national body in 1933, the organisation endeavours to promote interest in and understanding of international affairs...
- List of UK think tanks
- Pakistan Institute of International AffairsPakistan Institute of International AffairsThe Pakistan Institute of International Affairs is a non-profit, non-governmental organization based in Karachi whose mission is to analyse and promote the understanding of major international issues and current affairs.-History:PIIA was founded in 1947 in Karachi in affiliation with the Royal...
- The World Today MagazineThe World Today MagazineThe World Today is a monthly current affairs magazine published by Chatham House.Founded in 1945, its topics range from the fallout of the Second World War, through the Cold War and into the information age and war on terror.-External Links:...
External links
- Chatham House website
- Chatham House on Twitter
- Architectural history and description - from the Survey of LondonSurvey of LondonThe Survey of London is a research project to produce a comprehensive architectural survey of the former County of London. It was founded in 1894 by Charles Robert Ashbee, an Arts-and-Crafts architect and social thinker, and was motivated by a desire to record and preserve London's ancient monuments...