The 2004 Australian Election Study Survey: The Decline of Political Parties? Long renowned for the stability of its political party system, Australia is finally experiencing a sustained challenge to the dominance of the major parties, which is reflected in an increasing preference by voters for minor parties and independent candidates. This project will examine the implications of these developments by conducting a public-use, national sample survey of voters at the next federal election, likely ....The 2004 Australian Election Study Survey: The Decline of Political Parties? Long renowned for the stability of its political party system, Australia is finally experiencing a sustained challenge to the dominance of the major parties, which is reflected in an increasing preference by voters for minor parties and independent candidates. This project will examine the implications of these developments by conducting a public-use, national sample survey of voters at the next federal election, likely to be held in 2004. The outcomes generated by the project will enhance academic and community understanding of the nature of the changing partisan climate within the Australian electorate.Read moreRead less
Democratic Leadership: How democracy shapes, constrains and empowers its leaders. A more profound understanding of the authority conferred, and limits imposed, by democracies on their leaders allows us to recognize what is, and is not, possible in democratic politics. It encourages a more subtle appreciation of the onerous demands of leadership, negotiating the extremes of idealism and cynical pragmatism that so often undermine confidence in politics and politicians. It gives greater insight int ....Democratic Leadership: How democracy shapes, constrains and empowers its leaders. A more profound understanding of the authority conferred, and limits imposed, by democracies on their leaders allows us to recognize what is, and is not, possible in democratic politics. It encourages a more subtle appreciation of the onerous demands of leadership, negotiating the extremes of idealism and cynical pragmatism that so often undermine confidence in politics and politicians. It gives greater insight into how democratic institutions and practices can be sustained and improved upon, both domestically, and internationally. Australia's commitment to democratisation in the region makes even more pressing the question of the type of leadership necessary in transitional states.Read moreRead less
Democrats at War: Democratic Leadership in an International Context. A more profound appreciation of what democracies can reasonably expect from their leaders in times of conflict will have significant benefits in both domestic and international arenas. In giving us greater clarity regarding what is, and is not, possible in democratic politics, especially in times of international instability, the study will provide insight into how democratic institutions and practices can be sustained and enha ....Democrats at War: Democratic Leadership in an International Context. A more profound appreciation of what democracies can reasonably expect from their leaders in times of conflict will have significant benefits in both domestic and international arenas. In giving us greater clarity regarding what is, and is not, possible in democratic politics, especially in times of international instability, the study will provide insight into how democratic institutions and practices can be sustained and enhanced. Australia's interest in regional stability, and its consequent encouragement of greater democratisation in the Pacific area, will find support in research that helps leaders in transitional states better understand and adapt to their vital role.Read moreRead less
Changing East Asia's Economic and Political Regimes: What Kind of Markets? What Kind of Polities? The East Asian financial crisis in 1997 highlighted economic and political problems in the strategically pivotal region. In the wake of the crisis there was an expectation that East Asian governments and businesses would be forced to adopt 'western' political practices and economic structures. This project will demonstrate why these expectations have not been realised, and how markets and political ....Changing East Asia's Economic and Political Regimes: What Kind of Markets? What Kind of Polities? The East Asian financial crisis in 1997 highlighted economic and political problems in the strategically pivotal region. In the wake of the crisis there was an expectation that East Asian governments and businesses would be forced to adopt 'western' political practices and economic structures. This project will demonstrate why these expectations have not been realised, and how markets and political authority continue to be shaped by contingent domestic imperatives. Our explanation of the divergent outcomes will force a fundamental re-thinking of existing theoretical and policy paradigms, potentially influencing Australian policy towards the region.Read moreRead less
Australian political rhetoric: the role of public speech by elected representatives in contemporary Australian politics. What is the public benefit of the endless rituals of rhetorical claim and counter-claim performed by members of parliament? This project demonstrates that rhetoric is central to politics, through detailed case analysis of the performative side of Australian parliamentary politics. Good rhetoric, when we have it, makes for good politics.
Governing vs. opposition parties and the global financial crisis: Comparing the United Kingdom and Australia. The Australian Prime Minister has described the global financial crisis as the 'equivalent of a rolling national security crisis'. Our project, which examines the pressures upon political parties to adopt an adversarial approach to crises as an election approaches, benefits the nation by enhancing our understanding of how political systems cope with crisis. Should governing and oppositio ....Governing vs. opposition parties and the global financial crisis: Comparing the United Kingdom and Australia. The Australian Prime Minister has described the global financial crisis as the 'equivalent of a rolling national security crisis'. Our project, which examines the pressures upon political parties to adopt an adversarial approach to crises as an election approaches, benefits the nation by enhancing our understanding of how political systems cope with crisis. Should governing and opposition parties unite in order to tackle the national crisis and portray consensus to the outside world? Or should they continue to engage in routine adversary criticism, facilitating dialogue and providing a 'check' on a centralised response? Our research will help develop an understanding of Australia's capacity to respond to major economic threats.Read moreRead less
Radical Conservatism and the Political Crisis of Modernity 1900-2000. This project seeks to examine the responses made by three of the most important conservative thinkers of the modern age to the crisis in liberal values and democratic principles that took place between 1900 and 1945 in Europe and elsewhere. The theorists in question are Max Weber, Oswalt Spengler and Carl Schmitt. A comparative study of their writings will be made, focussing upon the impact of their work on radical conservati ....Radical Conservatism and the Political Crisis of Modernity 1900-2000. This project seeks to examine the responses made by three of the most important conservative thinkers of the modern age to the crisis in liberal values and democratic principles that took place between 1900 and 1945 in Europe and elsewhere. The theorists in question are Max Weber, Oswalt Spengler and Carl Schmitt. A comparative study of their writings will be made, focussing upon the impact of their work on radical conservative groups in Germany and the policies formed by the latter. The study will conclude with an application of their findings to our understanding of the rise of a populist radical conservatism in contemporary Australia.Read moreRead less
Risk and Heterogeneity: AIDS and SARS Policymaking in China. This research will provide significant new knowledge on AIDS and SARS policymaking and implementation in China, which will help Australian policymakers and international agencies engage China on the very important issue of controlling the global spread of communicable diseases. Successfully engaging China is critical for the enhancement of global health security, because of China's enormous and increasingly internationally mobile popul ....Risk and Heterogeneity: AIDS and SARS Policymaking in China. This research will provide significant new knowledge on AIDS and SARS policymaking and implementation in China, which will help Australian policymakers and international agencies engage China on the very important issue of controlling the global spread of communicable diseases. Successfully engaging China is critical for the enhancement of global health security, because of China's enormous and increasingly internationally mobile population.Read moreRead less
Sparking a National Conversation. This project aims to understand why some promises of a ‘national conversation’ on a policy issue seem to be mere hyperbole, while others seem more authentic. Using an evaluative framework based on the latest democratic theory, and the aims and understandings of key actors in each case, the project plans to compare three cases that claimed to spark a national conversation: the Scottish National Conversation 2007–14; debates around the Affordable Care Act in the U ....Sparking a National Conversation. This project aims to understand why some promises of a ‘national conversation’ on a policy issue seem to be mere hyperbole, while others seem more authentic. Using an evaluative framework based on the latest democratic theory, and the aims and understandings of key actors in each case, the project plans to compare three cases that claimed to spark a national conversation: the Scottish National Conversation 2007–14; debates around the Affordable Care Act in the United States, 2009; and the ongoing issue of Indigenous constitutional recognition in Australia. The project aims to identify why some real-world efforts work better than others, and draw lessons for replicating best practice in Australia. Project outcomes may provide advice to policy-makers on how to engage citizens better in the major issues of the day.Read moreRead less
What's Changed? The Political Economy of Financial reform Since 2008. The project intends to chart, assess and explain the politics and policy associated with banking and financial sector reform in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis in the United States, United Kingdom, Europe, Canada and Australia. The key aims are to extend previous work to develop a firm-level model of financial risk and instability; use that model as a baseline to assess the post-crisis reform policy process; and explain ....What's Changed? The Political Economy of Financial reform Since 2008. The project intends to chart, assess and explain the politics and policy associated with banking and financial sector reform in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis in the United States, United Kingdom, Europe, Canada and Australia. The key aims are to extend previous work to develop a firm-level model of financial risk and instability; use that model as a baseline to assess the post-crisis reform policy process; and explain inter-country variation in, and the limits of, post-crisis policy reform. One particular focus is the relationship between competition and financial stability before and since the 2008 crisis. To what extent did competitive pressures drive risk-taking in the United States, United Kingdom and Europe? Have such pressures receded since 2008? Project outcomes may have policy implications for current efforts in banking reform.Read moreRead less