What does it mean to be a citizen?

What is the proper role of experts in a democracy?

How unique is the COVID-19 crisis?

And why do our institutions always seem to forget how to manage crises?

In the first proper episode of this season of Pillar Talk, your hosts Will & Ollie sit down with Dr Alastair Stark from UQ’s School of Political Science to address these questions and more, discussing deliberative democracy, crisis management, and institutional amnesia.

Dr Alastair Stark describes himself as a political scientist working in the field of public policy. He is an expert in crisis management, which he explores in his 2015 book Risk and Crisis Management in the Public Sector, and his 2018 book Public Inquiries, Policy Learning, and the Threat of Future Crises. He also has an ongoing research interest in the institutionalization of participatory modes of governance such as deliberative democracy. Find out more about Dr Stark here.

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Pillar Talk is published by the University of Queensland Politics, Philosophy & Economics Society. It is produced by Will Splatt and co-produced and edited by Tom Watson, with music created by Isaac Haynes. Your hosts for this episode are Will Splatt and Oliver Friendship.

If this episode has you keen for more content from the UQ PPE Society, you might want to check out our other publications: Statecraft Magazine, and The Statecraft Review.

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KPMG is a platinum sponsor of the UQ PPE Society. They provide a range of professional services for businesses, non-profits, and government, including consulting on the design and implementation of key government policies. As mentioned during the ad break, they offer two programs that might interest you: a 12-month graduate employment program, and a 4-8 week vacation internship program for students in their penultimate year of study. For more information about these opportunities, click here, or reach out to the UQ PPE Society using vocations@uqppes.com.au to talk about meeting with one of our contacts at KPMG.

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References:

See Dr Stark’s UQ Researcher Profile for a list of his scholarly publications.

David Easton – A Systems Analysis of Political Life (book recommended by Dr Stark)

Edmund Burke – Speech to the Electors of Bristol (referred to by Ollie regarding the role of experts)

Barry Schwartz – The Paradox of Choice (an accessible account of how ‘too many choices’ can lead to bad decision-making)

John Kay & Mervyn King – Radical Uncertainty (referred to by Will)