Lecture Notes for POLS2103
Australian Democracy:
Comparative & Theoretical Approaches
In most cases, lectures will be taped and available on WebCT.
Unless otherwise indicated, lectures presented by Dr Norman Abjorensen
1. Introduction to Democracy (Feb 23)
PowerPoint + Political Designations
2. Democracy: Paradoxes and Contradictions (Feb 25)
3. The Origins and Character of Australian Democracy (March 2)
4. Is Democracy in Crisis? (March 4)
5. Liberalism and Australian Democracy (March 11)
6. Radical Democrats and Their Opposition (March 16)
7. Democracy and its Discontents (March 18)
8. The Limits of Australian Democracy: A Marxist Perspective (Dr Rick Kuhn, March 23)
9. Australia Compared (Dr John Hart, March 25)
10. Australian Democracy: A Feminist Perspective (Dr Merrindahl Andrew, March 30)
11. Social Movements and Australian Democracy (Dr David West, April 1)
12. Corruption and its Implications for Democracy (Dr Peter Larmour, April 29)
13. The Australian Electoral System (May 4)
14. The Media and Democracy (Dr Wayne Errington, May 6)
15. Democracy, Citizenship & National Identity (May 11)
16. Deliberative Democracy (Professor John Dryzek, May 13)
PowerPoint 1 PowerPoint 2
17. Case Studies in Crisis: Testing Australian Democracy (May 18)
18. Democratic Leadership (Professor Paul 't Hart, May 20)
19. Think Tanks, Elites & Democracy (May 25)
Summary Think Tanks PP Elites PP
20. Democracy and Australian Federalism (May 27)
21. Parliament as a Democratic Institution (June 1)
22. The State of Democracy (June 3)