The Australian Study of Politics
Textbook Australian Studies Political History Australian Politics Political Science Political Sociology Political Philosophy Comparative Politics
The Australian Study of Politics (Palgrave Macmillan, 2009, ISBN 9780230201040) is the most comprehensive single-volume history of political science in Australia ever assembled. Across 524 pages, R. Rhodes brings together leading scholars to trace how the discipline emerged, evolved and shaped public life from colonial times to the present. Readers discover how Australian researchers pioneered the study of federalism, public administration, Indigenous politics and gender representation—fields that are now core to political-science curricula worldwide. The book is therefore indispensable for students who need an authoritative, locally grounded textbook that still speaks to global debates about governance, power and citizenship.
What makes this copy especially attractive to collectors and researchers is its condition: a bright, unmarked paperback with a smooth spine, tight binding and no previous-owner notes or dog-eared pages. At 235 mm x 155 mm it is the perfect desk reference—substantial enough to lie flat for note-taking yet light enough (825 g) to carry to seminars or the field. Because the title had a limited first print-run and Palgrave’s hardcover library edition is scarce on the secondary market, clean paperback copies in “very good to like new” state have become the preferred way to secure the full text without paying collectable prices.
Beyond its textbook utility, the volume is a time-capsule of Australian intellectual life. Essays map the institutional links between universities, think-tanks and government that produced landmark policy innovations such as compulsory voting and the world’s first living-wage arbitration system. For international scholars, it offers a comparative lens on how a Westminster settler society adapted British and American methodologies to unique colonial and federal realities. For Australian readers, it provides the back-story to today’s political controversies—whether about Senate reform, climate federalism or the constitutional recognition of First Peoples—making it a conversation-starter in both undergraduate tutorials and ministerial offices.
Anyone building a serious politics, sociology or Australian-studies library will appreciate how quickly this title moves in the used market whenever semester reading lists appear. Securing a smoke-free, annotation-free copy now means you avoid the price-spike that occurs before the start of each academic year and you gain a durable resource that anchors essays, theses and policy briefs for years to come.
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