Coming out of the liberal closet. Think tanks and de-democratization in Poland

De-democratization is a global trend, with an increasing number of governments gradually dismantling democratic institutions and norms in their countries. can be seen as incremental crisis that radically redraws the sociopolitical order. This article among first to highlight external knowledge producers autocratizing contexts. Relying on unique data set 40 interviews Polish think tankers conducted before after Law Justice party came power 2015 began pushing country authoritarian direction, analyses how liberal tanks handle de-democratization. The findings show autocratization entails reconfiguration tank space; i.e. aligning government blossom opposing are marginalized through lack public funding access policymakers. Second, significant changes tactics, strategies, identities, especially organizations, exposed. doxic mode which produce provide policy advice “nonpartisan experts” has shifted use contentious tactics assumption openly political identity “democracy defenders”.