World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!
Award Badge
Political Science
Australia
2026

D-Index & Metrics

Political Science

D-Index
45
Citations
12567
World Ranking
338
National Ranking
9

Research.com Recognitions

  • 2026 - Research.com Political Science in Australia Leader Award
  • 2025 - Research.com Political Science in Australia Leader Award

Overview

Brian Head is affiliated with the University of Queensland in Australia. Their research spans multiple facets of social sciences, with a particular focus on public policy, governance, and sustainability. The primary fields of study include Social Sciences, Sociology and Political Science, Political Science and International Relations, General Health Professions, Global and Planetary Change, and Public Administration.

Brian Head has contributed to various topics throughout their career, such as Public Policy and Administration Research, Policy Transfer and Learning, Sustainability and Climate Change Governance, Disaster Management and Resilience, Evaluation and Performance Assessment, Community Health and Development, and Social Policy and Reform Studies.

Recent publications by Brian Head include:

  • "Rising to Ostrom's challenge: an invitation to walk on the bright side of public governance and public service" (2021), published in Policy Design and Practice
  • "Behavioural insights teams in practice: nudge missions and methods on trial" (2020), published in Policy & Politics
  • "Stakeholder engagement in natural resources for energy transitions governance" (2023), published in Environmental Impact Assessment Review
  • "Measuring the Structure of a Technology System for Directing Technological Transition" (2020), published in Global Challenges
  • "Transitioning toward Sustainable Cities-Challenges of Collaboration and Integration" (2020), published in Sustainability

Brian Head has frequently co-authored with the following colleagues:

  • Kate Crowley
  • Jenny Stewart
  • Adrian Kay
  • Linda Colley
  • Yongping Wei

The scientist's work has appeared regularly in these publication venues:

  • Research insights
  • Australian Journal of Public Administration
  • Policy Design and Practice
  • Policy & Politics
  • Policy Press eBooks

Brian Head has also contributed several book publications. Most notably, there are multiple editions of Reconsidering Policy, published in 2020 by Policy Press and other publishers such as University of Tasmania, ANU Press, and Bristol University Press eBooks. Another title is Learning Policy, Doing Policy: Interactions Between Public Policy Theory, Practice and Teaching, published by ANU Press in 2021.

Best Publications

  • Wicked Problems: Implications for Public Policy and Management

    Brian W. Head;John Alford;John Alford

  • Wicked Problems in Public Policy

    Brian W Head

  • Three lenses of evidence-based policy

    Brian W. Head

  • Community engagement: Participation on whose terms?

    Brian William Head

  • Reconsidering evidence-based policy: Key issues and challenges

    Brian W. Head

  • Wicked and less wicked problems: a typology and a contingency framework

    John Alford;Brian W. Head

  • Forty years of wicked problems literature: forging closer links to policy studies

    Brian W. Head

  • Determinants of young Australians’ environmental actions: the role of responsibility attributions, locus of control, knowledge and attitudes

    Kelly S. Fielding;Brian W. Head

  • Toward More “Evidence-Informed” Policy Making?

    Brian W. Head

  • Assessing network-based collaborations: Effectiveness for whom?

    Brian W. Head

  • Why not ask them? Mapping and promoting youth participation

    Brian W. Head

  • Australian politicians’ beliefs about climate change: political partisanship and political ideology

    Kelly S. Fielding;Brian W. Head;Warren Laffan;Mark Western

  • Do Policy Makers Use Academic Research? Reexamining the "Two Communities" Theory of Research Utilization

    Joshua Newman;Adrian Cherney;Brian W. Head

  • The enduring challenge of ‘wicked problems’: revisiting Rittel and Webber

    Kate Crowley;Brian W. Head

  • Evidence, Uncertainty, and Wicked Problems in Climate Change Decision Making in Australia

    Brian W Head

  • Evidence-based policy: Principles and requirements

    Brian Head

  • Policy capacity and evidence-based policy in the public service

    Joshua Newman;Adrian Cherney;Brian W. Head

  • Evidence‐Based Policymaking – Speaking Truth to Power?

    Brian W. Head

  • Establishing and Governing e-Mental Health Care in Australia: A Systematic Review of Challenges and A Call For Policy-Focussed Research

    Carla Meurk;Janni Leung;Wayne Hall;Brian W Head

  • Are policy-makers interested in social research? Exploring the sources and uses of valued information among public servants in Australia

    Brian Head;Michele Ferguson;Adrian Cherney;Paul Boreham

Frequent Co-Authors

Adrian Cherney
Adrian Cherney University of Queensland
Helen Ross
Helen Ross University of Queensland
Jenny Ziviani
Jenny Ziviani University of Queensland
John Alford
John Alford University of Melbourne
Kelly S. Fielding
Kelly S. Fielding University of Queensland
Paul Lant
Paul Lant University of Queensland
Catherine J. Robinson
Catherine J. Robinson Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
Monica Cuskelly
Monica Cuskelly University of Tasmania
Saleem H. Ali
Saleem H. Ali University of Delaware
Pamela Meredith
Pamela Meredith University of the Sunshine Coast

If you think any of the details on this page are incorrect, let us know.

Report an issue

We appreciate your kind effort to assist us to improve this page, it would be helpful providing us with as much detail as possible in the text box below:

Related Online Degrees & Career Pathways

Students pursuing Political Science in the USA have a wealth of online learning and career options. Choosing an accredited school is essential, not only to ensure quality but also to open doors to financial aid and further studies. Those looking to quickly advance their credentials can explore the quickest masters degree online programs, which offer accelerated pathways to higher qualifications in Political Science and related fields.

Budget-conscious students may wish to consider enrolling in the cheapest per credit hour online college options, helping reduce overall education costs while still earning a reputable degree.

A background in Political Science can lead to diverse career opportunities. Similar to those with a background in environmental studies, political science graduates may ask, what can you do with an environmental science degree? Careers span government, non-profits, research, education, and consultancy.

Expanding your knowledge base with interdisciplinary skills can further boost your job prospects. For instance, enrolling in accredited online college math courses can enhance analytical and data interpretation abilities, highly valued in policy and research roles.

Best Scientists Citing Brian Head

Trending Scientists