Political scientist named to Fulbright professorship in Australia

Kenneth Mayer, professor of political science at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, has been named to a Fulbright Distinguished Chair at the Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra.

Mayer will conduct collaborative research, deliver guest lectures and take part in seminars involving both undergraduates and graduate students during 2007-08. He will also go on a national tour, speaking at three or four institutions across Australia.

The position is intended to increase the awareness and study of American politics and promote comparative and collaborative research in political science between Australia and the United States.

Awards in the Fulbright Distinguished Chairs Program are viewed as among the most prestigious appointments in the Fulbright Scholars Program, which is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. State Department.

Mayer, an expert in campaign finance, executive power and legislative politics, says his work will focus on a pair of collaborative research projects that take advantage of similarities between Australia and the United States.

“The first is a comparative study of election financing, examining how legislative behavior responds to new methods of funding political campaigns and how political organizations adapt to new rules,” he says. “An additional, longer term study will compare executive leadership by presidents and prime ministers. This project will seek to understand how political executives influence policy and how different political environments help shape official behavior.”

Mayer won the 2002 Neustadt Award from the American Political Science Association for his book, “With the Stroke of a Pen: Executive Orders and Presidential Power.”

The establishment of the new Fulbright Award was welcomed by ANU Vice Chancellor Professor Ian Chubb, who said it was testament to the role ANU plays on the world stage.

“We look forward to Professor Mayer’s arrival in August to work with the excellent program in American studies here at the ANU. This new Fulbright award fulfils all of the intentions for international understanding formulated 60 years ago by Sen. Fulbright,” Chubb says.