Abstract
This book provides an interesting discussion of how the Political Studies Association (PSA) has developed since its inception in the 1950s. It provides a useful narrative of how the discipline has evolved to reflect the needs of academics, society and politicians.
The Association today acts as a solid base for analytical discourse in the political sciences, spanning such diverse subtopics as party ideologies, rhetoric and identities, among many others. It can justly be regarded as an excellent example of enabling colleague collaboration, a networking hub and a mechanism for political researchers to interact with each other. It has become the instrument through which political scientists can communicate and showcase their research.
However, this conception was far from the reality in the earlier years of the Association, which is the subject of this book. It provides an interesting narrative of development, starting from the arguably ‘elitist’ origins of the Association in the 1950s, the impact of the opening up of higher education, the so called ‘Oxford coup’ in 1975 and the apparent setbacks in the 1980s. By doing so, it enables the reader to appreciate fully how the Association developed in recent years. Following on from the history, this book explores the professionalisation of the Association. It describes its role as a force for analytical change, as well as the inclusive approach it has taken towards membership, such as offering a wide range of services exclusively to members. As a history of the PSA and its impact on political scientists, this book provides a valuable discussion and should be of significant interest to those interested in how political science has evolved as a discipline.
The scope of this book makes the target audience firmly individualised. Simply put, there is no clear mass market beyond political scientists. However, some academics in other fields may find this book of interest. If a single audience had to be identified, I would say this book is mostly aimed at those who analyse the analysts.