Paul Strangio – författare

At the beginning of the twenty-first century prime ministers loom larger in the consciousness of their nations than perhaps in any previous era. But how well do we really understand the variables of prime-ministerial performance, and, specifically, why some prime ministers apparently flourish in the role while others wither? This study examines how prime ministers perform as leaders of their governments, parties, and nations. It offers new ways of thinking about prime-ministerial power and leadership, and systematic empirical studies of prime-ministerial leadership practices in four Westminster democracies: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The volume features contributions from leading political scientists from all of these countries and is organised into three major sections: understanding power in prime-ministerial performance, prime ministers and their parties, and evaluating prime-ministerial performance. Through its collaborative and multifaceted approach the volume demonstrates that there are no hard and fast propositions or rules of thumb to capture what it is that makes us think of some prime ministers as so much more effective than others. Instead it highlights the importance for students of executive government to grasp the contingent interplay between personal, institutional, and contextual factors in understanding and evaluating prime-ministerial performance.

Jim Cairns, former Deputy Prime Minister of Australia, is a familiar sight around the markets of Melbourne, seated at a card table stacked with copies of his latest book. It's an unlikely occupation for a man who was once the major thinker and driving force behind the ideals and policies of Australia's most reformist government. In this mature and sophisticated biography, Paul Strangio reveals a consistent thread running through the apparent contradictions of Cairns's career. He explains how a policeman turned into a counter-culture guru; how an opponent of capitalism became Minister for Trade; how a devoted husband could feel 'a kind of love' for Juni Morosi. In this highly readable and carefully researched book, Strangio argues that Cairns' contributions to public life have been seriously understimated. Drawing on a rich range of archival and oral sources, and recounting many fascinating anecdotes, this is a masterly portrait of one of those rare people who never stop in their quest for truth.

For most of the twenty-first century, Australia's national politics has been characterised by tumult and disruption: seven prime ministers; stagnation in key policy areas; dwindling support for the established parties; insurgencies on the left and right flanks; and declining public trust in government and the democratic system itself. The flux is occurring in the context of a global democratic winter, exemplified by the rise of strongman populists who foment and feed on public grievance. It is an era in which the power of leaders to make and unmake the world is vividly on display. Understanding those who govern us is an urgent task. In The Alchemy of Leadership, Paul Strangio examines the formative experiences, personality traits, world views and leadership styles of prime ministers of the last quarter century. How much of the instability of the period has been due to these individual office holders? Why has political leadership been so confounding? Strangio's study reveals how a homegrown version of conservative populism was smuggled into mainstream politics from the beginning of the century, which had a catalytic effect on both major parties. The 2025 federal election represented a watershed in the repudiation of that kind of politics. The centre held - Australia's mostly unremarked democratic exceptionalism emerged resilient. Yet brave and judicious leadership will be vital if the country is to continue as a safe harbour when democracy is besieged globally.

Compulsory voting has operated in Australia for a century, and remains the best known and arguably the most successful example of the practice globally. By probing that experience from several disciplinary perspectives, this book offers a fresh, up-to-date insight into the development and distinctive functioning of compulsory voting in Australia.