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This article examines the state of the political science discipline in New Zealand, focusing on the numbers of women in the profession, the representation of women in the discipline’s journal, and the place of gender in the political science curriculum. While women in New Zealand political science have been active as a community for at least 30 years, there has been no systematic review documenting the status of women in the profession. This article provides an analytical starting point through a review of the data that does exist on New Zealand and comparable countries. It discusses the factors that may account for current trends and concludes with some recommendations for the future. It is clear that women have made visible gains in terms of numbers, but continued progress is precarious and dependent on both institutional and individual initiatives.

Computer mediated communications technologies are being recommended increasingly within the university environment as a means to enhance flexible delivery and student learning. This paper presents my trial use of the bulletin board within WebCT as a tutorial environment in which to discuss prescribed readings. I investigate whether a computer based tutorial setting can be used as a tool for learning, in addition to being a tool for delivery of information. Specifically, I examine whether online tutorials can be used to encourage students to undertake the readings, distinguish the evidence and arguments of these, and relate the ideas to everyday experience through a discussion with their peers, in an online environment.

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This article provides the first analysis of gendered promotion issues for cabinet ministers using most-similar systems design for three "Westminster-style" governments: Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. Using individual-level data and controlling for biographical, institutional, and country effects we find, in common with earlier literature, that women are more likely to be given less prestigious cabinet posts and be assigned to "feminine" portfolio. Using both sequence and event history analysis, we see the careers of men and women starkly diverge. We find that women are less likely to be promoted than men but find no relationship between prestigious portfolio and promotion. However, feminine portfolio assignments decrease the promotion prospects for women yet increase them for men.

Unlike most coalition studies, which are primarily concerned with the major parties, this article focuses on the costs of coalition for small parties. As the experiences of a number of countries demonstrate, the costs of coalition are unevenly shared, with major parties generally incurring low costs and small parties high costs. This article will focus on the impact of coalitions on New Zealand's small parliamentary parties by considering whether the benefits of increased representation and influence under a proportional voting system have outweighed the costs. In particular, it will look at the implications of joining a coalition for a small party's internal stability and votes. In exploring the risks that are associated with the various governing arrangements, it will propose a framework consisting of three variables: bargaining power; ability to make decisions based on the party's future success; and proximity to government. Attention will be paid to the various cost-reduction strategies, including accepting portfolios whilst remaining outside government. Finally, the article will ask whether public criticism of a small party's coalition utility and efficacy are particular features of countries with long two-party traditions.