Outlook: Political Science as a Profession

These are just a few websites I have been able to find relating to "political science" as a career. I will update this article as I find more.

It is that time of year again for planning and organising one's professional goals. I found this website while thinking about the direction for my research and publishing this year. I must admit I am surprised to see that political scientists in the US earn more than their economics counter-parts.

"The median annual wage of political scientists was $107,420 in May 2010".

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition, Political Scientists, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/political-scientists.htm (visited February 28, 2013).

I suspect this website is the Australian equivalent to the above. However, the career is lumped under the term "social professionals" on the Australian Government's "job outlook" website.

For the UK job outlook, this site seems to be most helpful, and the Canadian Political Science  Association has this site.

Book Notes: "Communism and Christianity" by Martin Cyril D'Arcy

Communism And Christianity by Martin Cyril D'Arcy

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


In 1956, the Reverend D’Arcy was writing at a time when the Soviet Union was still regarded as a direct threat to capitalism and indeed, Christianity, and this work needs to be taken in the context of the times. One should not expect the Reverend to deliver anything short of an apologia, and in this he does not disappoint. While it was not uncommon for some, especially in the post-Stalin era (Stalin having died in 1953), to remain intellectually interested in the great socialist experiment, D’Arcy sees such entertaining of Communism as a direct threat to Christianity, in that Communism, in its Soviet guise, was regarded by some as a ‘religion’. D’Arcy makes the point of comparing Christianity and Communism as, ‘properly’, “faiths”, rather than religions. Extensive comparisons are drawn between the ideal societies which each proposes exist in the future, including some interesting views of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth versus the spiritual realm, some extensive coverage of the overlapping jurisdiction of Church and State in the temporal and spiritual realms, and a great deal of whitewashing of the history of the Christian Church, in many cases as if to say “we were intemperate in our youth but we have since matured”. What really stands out for me is the Orientalist attitude of the book – not in its Orientalist approach but in its lack of the Orient at all – stemming from the author’s monocultural view of the world including a belief that all that is good in civilisation stems from the West. The numerous biases made the final arguments quite tedious to read, but it is worth the effort nonetheless. For instance, the unpacking of the socialist aims of both Soviet-Communism and Christian Socialism provide much food for thought, as do the numerous references to other great works, albeit used in place of empirical evidence, but a useful compass for further exploration of the great works of famous authors. What I found most disappointing, however, was the lack of distinction between the Soviet-style Communism and the Marxian-style Communism (both are lumped together while being ‘cherry-picked’ ad nauseum to suit the author’s biases). Similarly, the Christian Church is portrayed as a monolith until it suits the author to criticise non-Catholics for their ‘erroneous’ views of the world. Despite my frustration with this work – it was a difficult read not because of the language but because of the agonisingly obvious biases supported by manufactured evidence – I have learnt a great deal from the synthesis the Reverend D’Arcy attempts to provide in bringing together the extremes of the materialist and spiritual realms into a shared space which neither occupies often enough to enable such comparisons to bear the fruit which D’Arcy arguably produces from amongst the rocks and sand of this polemic.



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Book Notes: "Fathers and Sons" by Ivan Turgenev

Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


For once I read the book before reading the introduction; an approach which has its merits. The analysis in the introduction seemed to be a little over the top at first but then after learning of the letters Turgenev exchanged with Dostoevsky, particularly concerning the former's construction of the character Bazarov, really drives home how truly great novels are so much more than the product of a vivid imagination. The beauty of reading such works is to open my eyes to a place and period that was simply neglected in my early education due to the Cold War. Yet Turgenev highlights many issues which remain relevant in modern society: nationalism East or West, revolutionary or evolutionary development, the perpetual quest for newness in youth, to the pointlessness of life when humanity's frailty is illuminated. It also reunited me with the importance of the simple things in life which are often overlooked in our individual quests for glory which probably never arrives: the scene involving Bazarov's grieving parents still haunts me, as does the thought that Arkady is now under-the-thumb in an ever-so-happy way. The great writers were great because of their ability to intellectualise so many issues without a hint of discontinuity - a trait Turgenev displays with relative ease despite his own personal agonising over his critics (both revolutionaries and aristocrats). Indeed, had we never known about Turgenev's agonising from his letters, the work does not belie any such lack of confidence. Yet had I read the introduction first I may well have formed an entirely different view.



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Book Notes: "The Worldly Philosophers" by Robert L. Heilbroner

The Worldly Philosophers by Robert L. Heilbroner

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


What I particularly like about this book is how Heilbroner begins with the term “political economy”, then relegates it to “economics” (as happened in history), only to revive the term at the end where he tells us that Schumpeter is the last worldly philosopher as we have – more or less – learnt all we can through a scientific approach based significantly on grand assumptions about the behaviour of homo economicus, and it is time to reintroduce politics. That Heilbroner ends with Schumpeter is interesting. I am not sure if his eschewing of Hayek (who gets a few mentions in the book) is ideological. Nonetheless, it is an interesting approach to understanding the economy although a newer edition (the seventh was released in 1999) might be useful to mention the impact of the return to free trade and back again with the recent Global Financial Crisis. Regardless, this should be the first port of call for novice economists or political scientists alike. As a second reading, I found the suggested reading list at the end of the book to be most helpful to guide a revisit to the many classics which are now readily available for free on the Net. Indeed, it was well-worth revisiting Heilbroner and I may do so yet again.



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Using the "Green Room" for Original Educational Content

General Idea of the Model

 Here is my first three goes at using a "green room" to develop original educational content for flexible delivery. This is made possible by the University of Canberra with the professional guidance of the very capable Michelle McAulay (@mcaulay21).

The purpose of this post is to demonstrate a simple approach to enabling flexible delivery using original content in multimedia formats. Consequently, this is a first draft and I will post more as the concept is developed further. Obviously there are grammatical errors in the text as the first two videos were off-the cuff statements about one of the units I teach and my research specialisation. The third video is my first go at using Teleprompter Lite (the free version) with the iPad gaffer-taped directly under the camera. (Tip for young players: have the iPad as close as possible to the camera and then only look at the iPad - flicking from iPad to camera ruins the mood.) The Lite version does not allow you to customise the speed, so we played around with using line spaces but it was (obviously) not the best tool. The paid version has a custom slider for speed setting so it was worth the small fee for this feature.

In future I will be using the following procedural steps:

1. Drafting the speech and paste into a blog post using Blogger.
2. Add hyperlinks to the blog post as required.
3. Copy the post and paste it into the Teleprompter Pro app.
4. Film using the teleprompter.
5. Add background/s to video.
6. Add video to blog post.

See the first drafts below.

Welcome to 6606 Government-Business Relations

Hello, I'm Michael de Percy, Senior Lecturer in Political Science at the University of Canberra, and welcome to 6606 Government-Business Relations. This unit is a foundation unit for all of the degree programs within the faculty. We focus on the generic skills of written communication, and also critical thinking. We will introduce you to a broad range of topics covering both government, business, and their interaction with society. This is a very important conceptual understanding for any of the courses that you will undertake within the faculty. The relationship between government and business is multifaceted and complex and we will teach you how to "unpack" some of those complexities. In the modern era, often the line between government and business is not clear. Indeed, business is increasingly taking on roles that in the past was the sole domain of government. So in this unit we will introduce you to some of the theoretical concepts of liberal democracy, social democracy and also the capitalist economic system. We will look at the varieties of capitalism that exist throughout the world, and also we will look at the international institutions, and the way that governments throughout the world attempt to manage the global economy. In this unit we will also introduce you to models of government-business relations and some of the political ideologies which inform the various approaches to policy. Welcome to the University of Canberra, and I trust that you will enjoy your studies here at Australia's Capital University. Good luck!

My Research

[This was a first take speaking off-the-cuff about my research.We could have had a few more goes at it but I think using the teleprompt will be a much more efficient way of developing content, especially if we will be shooting entire lectures.]

Hello, I'm Michael de Percy, Senior Lecturer in Political Science at the University of Canberra. My research focuses on communications technologies, and their interaction with the state. What I am particularly interested in is how communications technologies form critical junctures in institutional development. What I am currently working on is a model of the co-evolution of communications technologies and political institutions. In the Australian case, I am interested in how a long history of government control helps or hinders the deployment of communications technologies, in particular broadband. But it is very difficult to make sense of what is happening today without an appreciation of history. Indeed, right back to the time of the telegraph, we find starting points in institutional design and development which continue to influence the telecommunications industry throughout the world today. By examining in cross-national comparison, I am able to identify the influence of institutions on these technology outcomes. It is a very interesting and challenging approach to study, focusing in particular on the theories and methods of historical institutionalism. Thank you very much.

My Teaching Philosophy

[This was our first attempt using the Teleprompter Lite app. Without a customisable speed slider it wasn't the best, but I would say some more experimenting and the Teleprompter Pro app might see a significant improvement. The video highlights the difference between spoken and written text - I may need to revamp the philosophy so it doesn't sound so staid.]

Having grown up in suburban and regional Australia and lived (in my earlier years, at least) Aristotle’s concept of the ‘unexamined life’, the conscientious study of political science has been an enlightening journey. Through the patience, graciousness and understanding of various great people who have influenced my academic, personal and professional life, I have been able to transcend the vernacular of my socio-cultural influences to achieve a broader, less polemical, understanding of the value of education in a liberal arts sense. The prospect of teaching others the value of independent and critical thinking, then, remains for me a very important component of challenging existing views of the political world.

The consequences of power relationships which exist in the political realm are ubiquitous to the extent that it is pedestrian to suggest that understanding the relationships of power which exist between individuals, groups and ‘the state’ are necessary to understand the concepts of justice , equity and freedom so often captivated by Western ideals of liberal democracy. Indeed, a typical first-year university student will often awake to the discourse of politicians and the news media and accept such positions as not only normative, but ‘right’ – despite the particularly Australian notion of a Dixonian ‘well-informed citizenry’ being crucial to maintaining a civil society within a Westminster-style liberal democracy. Yet many students lack both an awareness and appreciation of the world beyond that which is provided by the so-called ‘common’ values expressed by contemporary politicians and journalists.

As a teacher of political science, I strive to do more than merely present students with facts and figures that they can recite under exam conditions. I attempt to facilitate the learning process, helping students to take the first step on the journey toward thinking critically and for themselves, regardless of their chosen profession, while becoming more responsible and better-informed professionals and citizens of humanity. I strive to achieve this goal within the bounds of the discipline of political science, ever conscious of good intentions which may easily lead to the polemic.

Embarking on this journey, however, requires a willingness to engage in critical thinking. As such, my classroom practices focus on fostering such critical perspectives. I encourage students to challenge not only the conventional wisdom of politics, but also their own preconceived notions, ideals and beliefs. While I am a firm believer in the pedagogical value of lecturing based on sound research, and I make every effort to cultivate discussion in tutorials through the presentation of student’s ideas, collegial critiques and interpersonal reflection. I do not regard myself as someone who simply distributes knowledge in the classroom. Indeed, I attempt to provide students with the opportunity to share in the educational experience by creating a collegial learning environment in which everyone may examine their own perspectives, biases and preconceptions without fear or prejudice - within the bounds of the academy’s normative concept of mutual respect.

Moreover, I believe that it is crucial to incorporate the ‘real world’ in the classroom whenever possible. For instance, I often ask students in my introductory classes to consider how concepts of politics and power relate to their particular courses of study. Often, students cite this approach in their evaluations as a valuable skill which will assist them in their future professions. When I am able to make the connection between theory, empirical reality and professional vocations enlightening for the students, I feel that I have truly accomplished my major goal as an educator.

As Owen Dixon once argued, the fate of liberal democracy in Australia depends upon a vigilant and informed citizenry. As a teacher of political science, I consider it my challenge to help students ‘unpack’ the complexities of the political and social interactions around them and encourage them to develop a greater appreciation of the diversity of political, social, and cultural institutions. I have often told my students that I consider my class to be successful if, at the end of the semester, they have challenged their own beliefs and can at least defend these beliefs on the basis of an empirical understanding that transcends ‘greedy reductionism’. To this end, I believe that it is only through achieving a more thorough understanding of the political world around us that we can begin to change it for the better.

Next Steps

I am hoping we can get a green room as a permanent fixture for staff to develop online content. I've tried with sole-operator office-based equipment but it is much too difficult, and even more difficult if lecturers are to develop their own multi-media content as a going concern. Having another person to work the equipment and provide feedback as you go is essential. I think, too, that breaking up the video with pictures or other film footage (relevant to the spoken content) will be useful (documentary-style). Of course, there are then copyright issues. Nevertheless, I am confident the model will work and will post details as the pilot unfolds.

Greater Local Involvement in Telecommunications Needed

Whether we acknowledge climate change or not, the reality is that extreme weather conditions and natural disasters are frequently disrupting our advanced telecommunications networks and bringing local economies to a standstill.

As society's reliance on communications technologies increases, businesses require back-up systems should the inevitable happen - a network crash.

Over the Australia Day long weekend, Queenslanders experienced a loss of landline and mobile services, and for the first time in over 15 years, Telstra was unable to provide a 000 emergency service.

But is it adequate to leave the back-up of such crucial infrastructure to Telstra alone? What will be different when NBN Co. has its hand on the wheel?

Because the jurisdictions for telecommunications and emergency services overlap, it is clear that  federal control alone is insufficient to deal with emergency telecommunications. I recently argued that there is a key role for state and local governments to be involved. Listen to my comments on ABC Far North Queensland here.

Book Notes: "The Life and Times of Liberal Democracy" by C.B. Macpherson

The Life and Times of Liberal Democracy by C.B. Macpherson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I discovered this work after it was assigned as an alternative textbook in lieu of David Held's "Models of Democracy" (for those who could get their hands on it - as it was out of print at the time) for an undergraduate political science course about 20 years ago. If there was ever a text that inspired me to become a political scientist - this was it. Need I say more?



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Book Notes: "The Old Man and the Sea" by Ernest Hemingway

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This was so good I couldn't get the circulation flowing in my hand for ages and the over-stretching of my back was killing me. By the time I got back to shore - hey, hang on, I was only reading this! For a moment there my imagination was so vividly fired up I was in the story. This now-classic is nothing less than brilliant.



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Book Notes: "Jasper Jones" by Craig Silvey

Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


I usually would not read fiction of this variety but my hand was forced by circumstances. Nonetheless, the critics’ reviews had me anticipating a novel which explores Australia’s deep-seated racist culture in such a way as to put Silvey in the same league as the American Harper Lee. Lee wrote about the racism she observed as a child and I was expecting something similarly honest from Silvey. Instead, a lazy combination of artist and critic that would have bewildered Oscar Wilde left me with a potentially good read, including some brilliant teenage dialogue, which otherwise lacks credibility. The lazy combination began with the critic who obviously didn’t read the entire book and instead simply regurgitated Silvey’s own references to Harper Lee and Mark Twain. This was off-putting as it smacks of the cultural cringe which sits comfortably with racism as a form of illogical behaviour so prevalent in Australian society. Silvey writes well and parts of the story had me racing ahead to find out what happened next, but it also left me confused. The first half of the book reads like a set-text for high school English (much like “To Kill a Mockingbird”) while the second-half suddenly jolts into racism, teenage sex, child sexual abuse, adultery, and the emptiness and boredom of living in a small Australian mining town. When viewed in isolation, this might be seen as a jolting technique to break away from the set-text model. Hopefully teachers will not be as lazy as the critic and will read the entire novel before setting the text for younger students. Yet endlessly painful anachronisms signify the author’s lack of historical knowledge and keep rearing their ugly heads throughout the story, leaving the reader begging for an honest word from Hemingway rather than another distraction from Silvey. To be sure, fiction is made-up, but researching the setting and the context properly adds credibility and ensures the reading of fiction is not an intellectual insult. Despite the accolades and the awards for “Jasper Jones”, I give Silvey a credit grade for a well-written piece of work that suffers from too many themes, too many anachronisms and a lack of credibility that ultimately stems from lazy research.



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