Stephanie Lawson is Honorary Professor of Politics and International Relations at Macquarie University, Honorary Professor in the Department of Pacific Affairs at the Australian National University, and Senior Research Associate in the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Johannesburg. She is a past president of the Australian Political Studies Association, a fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia, and the current president of the Pacific Islands Political Studies Association. Her first book, The Failure of Democratic Politics in Fiji (1991) won the Australian Political Studies Association's Crisp Medal.
'The breadth and depth of Stephanie Lawson's knowledge makes this comprehensive survey of the modern Pacific Islands a valuable resource for all scholars of this unique region. Her careful engagement with the wider, global literature on key themes such as regional identity, decolonisation, and development positions Pacific Island nations in wider IR discourse and offers fertile ground for comparative studies at a time when Pacific small island state perspectives are increasingly prominent on the world stage.' Paul D'Arcy, Department of Pacific Affairs, College of Asia and the Pacific, Australian National University 'Essential reading for anyone interested in the history of Pacific regionalism.' Jon Fraenkel, Professor of Comparative Politics, Department of Political Science & International Relations, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand 'An extremely comprehensive and insightful book, which unpacks and connects very significant historical and political developments in the Pacific in a meticulous and enlightening way. A recommended reader for Pacific regional politics.' Steven Ratuva, Distinguished Professor, Pro-Vice Chancellor Pacific, and Director, Macmillan Brown Center for Pacific Studies, University of Canterbury, New Zealand