Democratic Leadership in Foreign Affairs. This project explores the opportunities and constraints on democratic leaders at the intersection of domestic and international politics. By undertaking a comparative study of the impact of democratic leadership on foreign affairs in ?ve advanced democracies (Australia, the United Kingdom, USA, Germany and France) it will examine how democratic norms (such as transparency, accountability and rights) and democratic institutions (governance structures, par ....Democratic Leadership in Foreign Affairs. This project explores the opportunities and constraints on democratic leaders at the intersection of domestic and international politics. By undertaking a comparative study of the impact of democratic leadership on foreign affairs in ?ve advanced democracies (Australia, the United Kingdom, USA, Germany and France) it will examine how democratic norms (such as transparency, accountability and rights) and democratic institutions (governance structures, parties, electoral cycles, the media) affect leaders’ capacities in foreign affairs. The ?ndings from the research will be published in a series of journal articles and a book with a major academic press.Read moreRead less
Democratizing the Middle East: implications of Washington's policies. Regime change has been justified by the coalition of willing as beneficial to the promotion of democracy and stable governance in the Middle East. It is, therefore, important to examine how effective this project has been. Australia's foreign policy towards the region resembles that of the United States, including military intervention in Iraq and Afghanistan. This involvement warrants an assessment of the way state building h ....Democratizing the Middle East: implications of Washington's policies. Regime change has been justified by the coalition of willing as beneficial to the promotion of democracy and stable governance in the Middle East. It is, therefore, important to examine how effective this project has been. Australia's foreign policy towards the region resembles that of the United States, including military intervention in Iraq and Afghanistan. This involvement warrants an assessment of the way state building has set these two societies on a democratic trajectory, and whether they are serving as beacons of democracy in their neighbourhood. It is in Australia's national interests to have a realistic assessment of its foreign policy impact in the Middle East and Central Asia. Read moreRead less
Contestation or Regulation - New Politics in Southeast Asia. By providing a greater understanding of the region's polities and societies the study can enhance all forms of Australian engagement with Southeast Asia. It offers insights into differential intra-regional capacities and orientations of political systems to absorb diverse social forces into the political process. This knowledge provides a basis for strategies to promote effective governance reform and other Australian aid programs. It ....Contestation or Regulation - New Politics in Southeast Asia. By providing a greater understanding of the region's polities and societies the study can enhance all forms of Australian engagement with Southeast Asia. It offers insights into differential intra-regional capacities and orientations of political systems to absorb diverse social forces into the political process. This knowledge provides a basis for strategies to promote effective governance reform and other Australian aid programs. It will also assist policymakers seeking to influence the management of, or resolution to, conflicts threatening stability in the region. Read moreRead less
Debating the Impact of International Trade Agreements on Transnational Higher Education: A Comparative Study of Australia, Malaysia, Canada and Greece. In the past decade, education provision across national borders has grown dramatically. However, the governmental frameworks for regulating such programs are yet to solidify, with rival approaches hotly contested. Governments are enmeshed in, and influenced and constrained by existing and emergent regulatory structures and trade agreements at nat ....Debating the Impact of International Trade Agreements on Transnational Higher Education: A Comparative Study of Australia, Malaysia, Canada and Greece. In the past decade, education provision across national borders has grown dramatically. However, the governmental frameworks for regulating such programs are yet to solidify, with rival approaches hotly contested. Governments are enmeshed in, and influenced and constrained by existing and emergent regulatory structures and trade agreements at national, regional and global levels. This project will identify issues of central concern to key actors in four countries with significant involvement in transnational higher education, and analyse how debates in these countries utilise divergent models of likely implications of trade agreements.Read moreRead less
Central Asia between Islam and the Great Powers: The Implications of September 11. The so-called 'Islamic threat' has become a significant but elusive factor in the politics of Central Asia. It now also looms large in official thinking in Beijing, Moscow and Washington. By combining diverse and complementary research skills and backgrounds, this study will shed new light on the impact of Islam in this emerging centre of geopolitical rivalry and beyond. The analysis will centre on the unexplored ....Central Asia between Islam and the Great Powers: The Implications of September 11. The so-called 'Islamic threat' has become a significant but elusive factor in the politics of Central Asia. It now also looms large in official thinking in Beijing, Moscow and Washington. By combining diverse and complementary research skills and backgrounds, this study will shed new light on the impact of Islam in this emerging centre of geopolitical rivalry and beyond. The analysis will centre on the unexplored but critical interaction between the domestic and foreign policies of the Central Asian republics on the one hand, and the complex and evolving relationship between them and the great powers on the other.Read moreRead less
Improving the International Response to Regime-Induced Displacement. This project examines why governments increasingly use force to deliberately displace their own populations on a massive scale, which is termed regime-induced displacement. Through a mix of quantitative and case study research, this project aims to explain why such actions have become rational strategies for regimes to respond to ethnic groups which may be a threat to them and how these regimes try to justify their behaviour in ....Improving the International Response to Regime-Induced Displacement. This project examines why governments increasingly use force to deliberately displace their own populations on a massive scale, which is termed regime-induced displacement. Through a mix of quantitative and case study research, this project aims to explain why such actions have become rational strategies for regimes to respond to ethnic groups which may be a threat to them and how these regimes try to justify their behaviour in order to thwart or delay international action. This is a critical issue as beyond its human cost, regime-induced displacement can lead to state fragility and regional instability as cases from Darfur to Syria demonstrate. Consequently, it directly affects Australia's security interests and international responsibilities.Read moreRead less
Democratic Audit of Australia. The Democratic Audit of Australia is an assessment of Australia's strengths and weaknesses as a democratic society. It will examine five key areas: (i) citizenship, law and rights; (2) representative and accountable government; (3) participation and government responsiveness; (4) democracy beyond the state; and (5) democracy and federalism. The audit process was pioneered in Britain and has now been applied in ten countries including New Zealand.
The Audit aim ....Democratic Audit of Australia. The Democratic Audit of Australia is an assessment of Australia's strengths and weaknesses as a democratic society. It will examine five key areas: (i) citizenship, law and rights; (2) representative and accountable government; (3) participation and government responsiveness; (4) democracy beyond the state; and (5) democracy and federalism. The audit process was pioneered in Britain and has now been applied in ten countries including New Zealand.
The Audit aims to make a major methodological contribution to democracy assessment, as well as providing benchmark data for purposes of monitoring and international comparison. It will also promote public debate over democracy issues.Read moreRead less
Please Explain! The Media Presence, Electoral Appeal and Political Impact of Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party. The success of Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party is an important development in Australian politics. This project seeks to: examine the ways in which the media have reported the phenomenon; test competing explanations for the party's electoral appeal, including theories derived from the rise of the radical right elsewhere and explore the party's impact on the electoral strategies and p ....Please Explain! The Media Presence, Electoral Appeal and Political Impact of Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party. The success of Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party is an important development in Australian politics. This project seeks to: examine the ways in which the media have reported the phenomenon; test competing explanations for the party's electoral appeal, including theories derived from the rise of the radical right elsewhere and explore the party's impact on the electoral strategies and public policies of the established parties. It will enhance our understanding of media practices and power, of the conditions under which populist parties may emerge, and of conservative politics under challRead moreRead less
Parties and Participation: Evolving Australian Party Membership. The project aims to provide new insights into how political party membership is evolving and how citizens and parties engage with each other today. The decline of party memberships is usually equated with the death of parties as participatory organisations and the erosion of their crucial role as vehicles for democratic linkage. Applying a new theoretical framework integrating individual, party and state perspectives, this project ....Parties and Participation: Evolving Australian Party Membership. The project aims to provide new insights into how political party membership is evolving and how citizens and parties engage with each other today. The decline of party memberships is usually equated with the death of parties as participatory organisations and the erosion of their crucial role as vehicles for democratic linkage. Applying a new theoretical framework integrating individual, party and state perspectives, this project plans to examine how membership is structured, how it is practised, what it means today and why membership is declining. Combining organisational analysis with survey and focus group data in an innovative mixed-methods research design, it aims to evaluate what parties can do to secure their future role in Australian democracy and to foster democratic participation through new modes of partisan engagement.Read moreRead less
Police corruption: an underestimated legitimacy and security risk. This project analyses police corruption in four states and makes recommendations for reducing it. While most states now recognise corruption as a problem, many are reluctant to address the issue of police corruption; yet when police officers collude with organised crime (for example, in drugs or arms trafficking), corruption can be a serious security risk.