Head of Program

The Political Science Program in the Research School of Social Sciences, which celebrated its golden jubilee in 2001, is Australia's leading political science department. It acts as the national centre of excellence for the profession and as a catalyst for national initiatives. The Program has trained many of Australia's leading political scientists. It is ranked among the world's top twenty departments in political science.

We are committed to both pure research in both political theory and empirical political science; and also applied public policy research.  Despite our small numbers we cover a broad spectrum of research interests from political theory, especially deliberative democratic theory and practice; and the measurement of rights and freedom; Australian politics and government; voting and comparative electoral systems; comparative public policy.  We house three research centres: the Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG); The Research Evaluation and Policy Project (REPP) and the Parliamentary Studies Centre (PSC). We also house three major journals: Australian Journal Political Science, Australian Journal of Public Administration, and the international journal, Journal of Theoretical Politics.

We also house the offices of Australian Political Science Association.

We are small outfit punching well above our weight, and provide a unique research environment for doctoral and postdoctoral research with around 15-20 PhD students in residence. We also have numerous visitors from all around the world, some visiting for a few days, other for several months enabling us to cover a broader spectrum of expertise and interest and who contribute to the Discipline's research projects and training.

We welcome all enquiries; please email Jeannie Haxell.

Keith Dowding
Head of Program