This topic explores the contemporary politics of Australia, Canada and the United States in comparative terms, beginning with the social structures of the three countries. The connection between social structure and federalism is explored. The topic also examines, again comparatively, the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the national governments in the three nations, comparing the power of executives, the effectiveness of the legislatures and the role of 'rights' in the three juridical systems. Political parties are central to all three nations, but they are remarkably different, especially in terms of their expectations of party line voting. Policy outcomes on the matters such as immigration, health care and gun control are examined. As 'settler societies', all three nations displaced their aboriginal peoples and that, and subsequent policy, is explored here too. The goal of the topic is to understand Australia better and to recognise in the diversity of the way these three nations function, possibilities for reform both here and there.
This topic aims to:
Timetable details for 2021 are no longer published.