This book is framed by four over-arching narratives of inquiry. While all four are firmly anchored in Australia’s political milieu – and as such are of considerable interest to a range of actors therein (scholars and students, the media, the political class) – they will also be of interest to a global audience.
- First, ideation. More specifically, what is the nature of populist politics in Australia, why does it consistently resonate with particular electoral demographics, what is the basis of its appeal over and above electoral cycles, and how should we position it in relation to more familiar concepts such as democracy, nationalism and progressive-conservative politics?
- Second, election. Despite the disparaging tone that the mainstream media can sometimes adopt when discussing electoral outcomes for right-populism and Hanson in particular, why does right-populism consistently resonate with particular electoral demographics, characterizedby various criteria – geographic, social class, gender? How does populism play out in electoral cycles, and how do mainstream political parties capitalize on it for political gain?
- Third, policy and politics. Much to the disappointment of many, right-populism in Australia generally and PHONP in particular has been influential in policy formulation across a range of domains. These include Indigenous policy and reconciliation, immigration and international relations, industry policy, and the politics of gender. Taking a broader perspective, how does the resurgence of right-populism in Australia today differ from two decades ago, and is the polity, generally speaking, shifting to the right?
- Fourth, Australia’s right-populism from a comparative international perspective. More specifically, what are the similarities and differences between right-populism in Australia on the one hand and in Europe and the US on the other, and are we justified in concluding, however tentatively, that the rise of right-populism is similar across these polities?
Bligh Grant is an Associate Professor of Politics, Policy and Applied Ethics at the Institute for Public Policy and Governance, University of Technology Sydney (UTS: IPPG), Australia. He is head of the Masters of Local Government program at UTS, and enjoys teaching in a range of social sciences. Much of his work brings expertise in politics, philosophy, and political economy to public policy.
Tod Moore is a Lecturer in Politics, Policy and International Relations at the Newcastle Business School, University of Newcastle, Australia. He has been a teaching and research-intensive academic since 2010, and offers courses on US politics, international relations, sovereignty theory, comparative politics, and business–government relations. Previously he was engaged in research on the history of Australian political ideas, and on religion and politics.
Tony Lynch is a Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Studies, and in Philosophy & Studies in Religion, at the School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, University of New England, Armidale, Australia. His primary research interests are in liberal and environmental politics, the philosophy of economics and moral and political psychology.
