Donald Markwell

For the Montgomery, Alabama, talk radio personality, see Don Markwell

Donald John "Don" Markwell (born 19 April 1959) is an Australian social scientist and educational leader.^[1] He has been Senior Adviser to the Leader of the Government in the Australian Senate since October 2015,^[2] and was previously Senior Adviser on Higher Education to the Australian Minister for Education from 2013.^[3]

Early life and education

Markwell was born in Quilpie, Queensland. He was educated at the University of Queensland, the University of Oxford (where he was 1981 Rhodes Scholar for Queensland) and Princeton University, studying economics, law and international relations.^[4]

Writings

Markwell's academic works include contributions to international relations, political science, the history of economic thought, constitutional history and public law, and education. They address such questions as how to promote order and peace in the international society of states, the role of conventions in constitutional systems, and higher education for the 21st century.

His John Maynard Keynes and International Relations: Economic Paths to War and Peace^[5] was widely cited in the Keynesian revival of 2008 for its emphasis on international economic cooperation (including the international coordination of economic policies and the development of international economic institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and World Bank) and on economic causes of war and economic means to promote peace.^[6] It was also cited in a 2013 controversy for rebutting the claim of Niall Ferguson that the ideas in Keynes's The Economic Consequences of the Peace (1919) were significantly influenced by Keynes's attraction to a German, Carl Melchior.^[7][8]

John Maynard Keynes and International Relations: Economic Paths to War and Peace^[5] is one of a number of Markwell's publications on John Maynard Keynes,^[9] and on idealism (international relations) (especially interwar idealists, such as Sir Alfred Zimmern, who sought to promote the 'rule of law' in international society,^[10] Florence Stawell (known as Melian Stawell), and Keynes, who sought economic means to promote peace; and a generation earlier, Cecil Rhodes, who aimed to promote peace through international scholarships^[11]). Markwell's contributions to international relations are in the tradition of the so-called English school of international relations theory and specifically of Hedley Bull, adding an emphasis on economic determinants of order in the international society of states. His study of Keynes and Australia traces the links between Keynes and Australia from Keynes's opposition to the approach of William Morris Hughes to reparations after World War I, through the early impact in Australia of Keynesian ideas in the 1930s and 1940s, to the role of Australia in the creation of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank at Bretton Woods in 1944.^[12]

Markwell's writings in political science and public law have been especially concerned with constitutional issues, including federalism, constitutional conventions in the Westminster system, and the monarchy and republicanism in Commonwealth countries, including the reserve powers.^[13] He uncovered the extensive history of consultations of judges of the High Court of Australia (such as Sir Samuel Griffith and Sir Edmund Barton) by Governor-Generals of Australia.^[14] He worked closely with the former Governor-General of Australia, Sir Zelman Cowen, in the writing of A public life: the memoirs of Zelman Cowen.^[15] He spoke at the state memorial service or funeral of two Governors-General of Australia, Sir John Kerr^[16] and Sir Zelman Cowen,^[17] and has written on "the office of Governor-General".^[18]

In 2016, his book Constitutional Conventions and the Headship of State: Australian Experience was published. It is a selection of papers focused on constitutional conventions and the role of the Governor-General in Australia.^[19]

In 1984, he co-edited with George Brandis and Tom Harley a collection of essays, Liberals face the future: essays on Australian liberalism.^[20] In 2013, he co-edited with Rachael Thompson and Julian Leeser a further collection of essays, State of the Nation: aspects of Australian public policy, with critiques of Australian public policy since 2007 by 15 experts.^[21][22]

Markwell's A large and liberal education': higher education for the 21st century^[23] reflects his advocacy of broad undergraduate education (liberal education), improving teaching and learning in universities,^[24] equity and access, the value of collegiate education and student engagement, and the importance of educational philanthropy. It largely comprises papers from his tenure as Warden of Trinity College, University of Melbourne.

Its sequel, 'Instincts to lead': on leadership, peace, and education,^[25] based on Markwell's speeches and writings on those topics as Warden of Rhodes House, Oxford, and as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) at the University of Western Australia, was published in 2013. The title was drawn from Cecil Rhodes saying in his Will that he wanted as Rhodes Scholars young people with 'instincts to lead'.^[26]

Career

Markwell was a Research Fellow of New College, Oxford in 1985-86, and then Fellow and Tutor in Politics at Merton College, University of Oxford, from 1986 to 1997.^[27] He served as a reforming Warden (president) of Trinity College (University of Melbourne) from 1997 to 2007;^[28] Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) of the University of Western Australia from 2007 to 2009;^[4] and Warden of Rhodes House, Oxford, from 2009 to 2012 (in succession to Sir Colin Lucas).^[29]

In 2007-2009, Markwell led a curriculum review at the University of Western Australia which proposed significant curriculum reform,^[30] which was implemented as 'New Courses 2012'.^[31]

Markwell was the first Rhodes Scholar and the second Australian to serve as Warden of Rhodes House, the global CEO of the Rhodes Trust and the Rhodes Scholarships.^[32] As Warden from 2009 to 2012, Markwell expanded activities for Rhodes Scholars in Oxford; expanded alumni communications, events and consultation; initiated governance reform; and raised significant funds to support the Rhodes Scholarships.^[33] The appointments of several new Rhodes Trustees from around the world included John McCall MacBain, who was later recognized as the "Second Century Founder" of the Rhodes Trust for a gift of £75 million.^[34] As well as discussing leadership, liberal education and collegiate education, Markwell's speeches drew attention to Cecil Rhodes' goal of promoting international peace.^[35] He initiated discussion of expansion of the countries in which Rhodes Scholarships are offered, leading to the later creation of Rhodes Scholarships for China and other countries.^[36] He is credited with helping to initiate the review of undergraduate women's leadership at Princeton University chaired by Nannerl O. Keohane,^[37] and helping to open all-male scholarships in South Africa to women.^[38]

In 2012, Markwell stepped down as Warden of Rhodes House to return to Australia, where his family live, and became Executive Director of the Menzies Research Centre. The Chairman of the Rhodes Trust, John Hood, paid tribute to 'the extraordinary energy and commitment Markwell has brought to the advancement of the Rhodes Trust's affairs', and to the 'many notable accomplishments under his leadership'.^[39]

As Executive Director of the Menzies Research Centre (a public policy think tank in Australia named for Australia's longest-serving Prime Minister, Sir Robert Menzies, and associated with the Liberal Party of Australia)^[40] his activities included leadership with Julie Bishop of consultation for developing a 'New Colombo Plan' to encourage Australian university students to study abroad in Asia-Pacific universities,^[41] and co-editing State of the Nation: aspects of Australian public policy, with critiques of Australian public policy since 2007 by 15 independent experts.^[21][22]

In October 2013, following the Australian federal election of September 2013, Markwell was appointed as Senior Adviser on Higher Education to the new Australian Minister for Education, Christopher Pyne MP.^[3]

Portraits of Markwell hang at Trinity College, University of Melbourne, and Rhodes House, Oxford.^[42]

See also

• constitutional conventions
• Governor-General
• Sir Zelman Cowen
• Idealism (international relations)
• Keynesian economics
• The Keynesian Resurgence of 2008 / 2009
• Hedley Bull
• Sir Alfred Zimmern
• Liberal education
• Rhodes Scholarships
• Menzies Research Centre
• Sir Robert Menzies

References

Books

• George Brandis, Tom Harley, Don Markwell (eds) (1984), Liberals face the future: essays on Australian liberalism, Oxford & Melbourne: Oxford University Press.
• D J Markwell (1987), The Crown and Australia, London: University of London.
• Donald Markwell (2000), Keynes and Australia, Sydney: Reserve Bank of Australia.
• Donald Markwell (ed) (2003), Improving Teaching and Learning in Universities, B-HERT NEWS, Business-Higher Education Round Table, Melbourne
• Sir Zelman Cowen (2006), A public life: The memoirs of Zelman Cowen, Melbourne: Melbourne University Publishing.
• Donald Markwell (2006), John Maynard Keynes and International Relations: Economic Paths to War and Peace, Oxford & New York: Oxford University Press.
• Donald Markwell (2007), A large and liberal education': higher education for the 21st century, Melbourne: Australian Scholarly Publishing & Trinity College, University of Melbourne.
• Donald Markwell (2009), Keynes and International Economic and Political Relations, Trinity Paper No. 33, Trinity College, University of Melbourne. See also
• Donald Markwell (2010), The need for breadth: on liberal education and the value of university residential colleges, Ashley Lectures, Trent University, Canada.
• Don Markwell, Rachael Thompson & Julian Leeser (eds) (2013), State of the Nation: aspects of Australian public policy, Connor Court.
• Donald Markwell (2013), 'Instincts to lead': on leadership, peace, and education, Connor Court.
• Donald Markwell (2016), Constitutional Conventions and the Headship of State: Australian Experience, Connor Court.

External links

• Biodata on Menzies Research Centre website
• Selected speeches on Menzies Research Centre website
• Joanna Mather, "New Rhodes lead to Asia", Australian Financial Review, 29 April 2013
• Biodata on University of Western Australia website
• Rhodes House website
• Naomi Wolf on Rhodes House today
• Review by Paola Subacchi of Markwell's John Maynard Keynes and International Relations
• Review by Michael S Lawlor of Markwell's John Maynard Keynes and International Relations
• Discussion of Markwell's John Maynard Keynes and International Relations
• Keynes and International Economic and Political Relattions, Trinity Paper No. 33, Trinity College, University of Melbourne, 2009
• Improving Teaching and Learning in Universities, B-HERT NEWS, Business-Higher Education Round Table, Melbourne, 2003
• Trinity College, University of Melbourne - A large and liberal education': higher education for the 21st century