Professional News & Events

On 30 April, I gave a talk on understanding governance to 40 Queensland public servants taking Griffith University’s Graduate Certificate in Policy Analysis.

On 30 April, I gave a talk on understanding governance to 40 Queensland public servants taking Griffith University’s Graduate Certificate in Policy Analysis.

With Issue 1 2008 we aim to raise the profile of Public Administration in Southern and Eastern Europe, North America and Asia. We will move to a a new, larger integrated format so we can publish more articles. In keeping with the changing electronic and research environment we have introduced OnlineEarly and digitised back issues to 1922.

R. A. W. Rhodes, Paul ‘t Hart and Mirko Noordegraaf (Eds.), Observing Government Elites (Houndmills, Basingstoke: Palgrave-Macmillan 2007).

The book studies top-level political office-holders, civil servants and public managers. It describes their world through their eyes, focusing on beliefs and everyday practices. It analyses how such practices are embedded in political-administrative traditions; in webs of institutional rules, routines, rituals, and relations. It explores how their beliefs, practices and traditions create meaning in politics, policy making and public service delivery. It reflects critically on how to do this kind of field work; on being up close and personal. By being there, the authors provide unique insights into the everyday life of ministers and senior public servants.

With regret, I stood down as Director of the Research School of Social Sciences with effect from 31 January 2008. I joined my wife in Hobart. Colleagues gave me an excellent send off and a lovely glass sculpture. I keep a fractional appointment in the Political Science Program.

My article on ‘The New Governance: Governing without Government’ Political Studies (44) 1996: 652-67 was included in the new Political Studies virtual issue because it was third most cited article between 2000 and 2007. It was also in the top 20 most cited articles over the past three years and top 20 most downloads over the past year.

My article with Mark Bevir, ‘Prime Ministers, Presidentialism and Westminster Smokescreens’,Political Studies 54 (4):2006: 671-690 is also in the top 20 most cited articles of the past three years and the top 20 most downloads over the past year.