John Western
Encyclopedia
John Stuart Western was an Australia
n academic and author.
He received his B.A. and M.A. and his Diploma of Social Studies from the University of Melbourne
, and his Ph.D from Columbia University
in 1959. In 1966, along with Colin A. Hughes
, he published a study of Australia's first ever televised policy speech on 12 November 1963, by then prime minister Sir Robert Menzies
. At this time, Western was a lecturer in Psychology at the Australian National University.
Their study comprised 250 voters who viewed the policy speech, examined the effect of this form of political communication, and traced its impact on the knowledge, attitudes, and opinions of this group. This was the first such detailed study undertaken in Australia, providing a testing of theories of cognitive equilibrium in relation to voting behaviour, and an examination of television's use in political communication.
Western moved to the University of Queensland in 1966 and was appointed Professor of Sociology at the University of Queensland
in 1970. He specialized in the sociology of mass communication, class and inequality, and the professions in Australia. He also served as a Commissioner on the Queensland Criminal Justice Commission
from 1990 until 1994.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n academic and author.
He received his B.A. and M.A. and his Diploma of Social Studies from the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
, and his Ph.D from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in 1959. In 1966, along with Colin A. Hughes
Colin Hughes
Colin Anfield Hughes is an Australian academic specializing in electoral politics and government.He received his B.A. and M.A. degrees from Columbia University and his Ph.D from the London School of Economics. In 1966, along with John S...
, he published a study of Australia's first ever televised policy speech on 12 November 1963, by then prime minister Sir Robert Menzies
Robert Menzies
Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia....
. At this time, Western was a lecturer in Psychology at the Australian National University.
Their study comprised 250 voters who viewed the policy speech, examined the effect of this form of political communication, and traced its impact on the knowledge, attitudes, and opinions of this group. This was the first such detailed study undertaken in Australia, providing a testing of theories of cognitive equilibrium in relation to voting behaviour, and an examination of television's use in political communication.
Western moved to the University of Queensland in 1966 and was appointed Professor of Sociology at the University of Queensland
University of Queensland
The University of Queensland, also known as UQ, is a public university located in state of Queensland, Australia. Founded in 1909, it is the oldest and largest university in Queensland and the fifth oldest in the nation...
in 1970. He specialized in the sociology of mass communication, class and inequality, and the professions in Australia. He also served as a Commissioner on the Queensland Criminal Justice Commission
Criminal Justice Commission
The Criminal Justice Commission was established in 1989 by the Queensland Criminal Justice Act 1989, following widespread corruption amongst high-level Queensland politicians and police officers being uncovered in the Fitzgerald Inquiry...
from 1990 until 1994.