Jon Johansson

Jon Johansson
Johansson in 2011
Born	1961 (age 63–64)
Academic background
Alma mater	Victoria University of Wellington
Thesis	Political leadership in New Zealand: theory & practice (2002)
Academic work
Discipline	Political science
Institutions	Victoria University of Wellington

Jon Johansson (born 1961)^[1] is a New Zealand political scientist and the former chief of staff for New Zealand First.^[2] His academic specialties are New Zealand and American politics, as well as political leadership. He lectured these subjects at Victoria University of Wellington.^[3]

Career

Johansson earned his Bachelor of Arts in psychology and political science, Bachelor of Arts with Honours, and Doctor of Philosophy at Victoria University of Wellington. As an undergraduate, he was awarded the K. J. Scott Memorial Prize for best political science or international relations Bachelor of Arts student in 1996 (joint) and the Alan Robinson Memorial Prize for best political science or international relations honours student in 1996 (joint).^[4] His PhD dissertation "seeks to extend our theoretical understanding of political leadership by constructing an Integrated Political Leadership Model, one that introduces a diverse range of essential leadership ideas into the New Zealand literature."^[5] For this thesis Johansson was awarded the Sir Desmond Todd Memorial Prize.^[4] He went on to become a senior lecturer in comparative politics at Victoria University and also became known as a political commentator and television political analyst, most especially during coverage of New Zealand and United States elections. A 2012 column by Thomas Friedman, "Elephants Down Under," featured Johansson's political musings.^[6]

Johansson's first monograph, Two Titans: Muldoon, Lange and Leadership was published in 2005 and was launched in Wellington by New Zealand First leader Winston Peters.^[7][8] Johansson addressed the New Zealand First annual conference two years later.^[9] In 2009, he published his second monograph, The Politics of Possibility: Leadership in Changing Times (see below),^[10] and spent the fall semester in Washington, D.C. as a Fulbright Visiting Scholar to Georgetown University.^[11] That led to the publication of his third monograph, and first on American politics, in 2014.^[12] After completing his residency in Washington, Johansson offered a 2010 analysis that the Barack Obama presidency would be either "a reconstructive era of genuine change and progress, or an unsatisfying pre-emptive presidency, marked by policy frustrations and ineffective tinkering" and that "the potential of reconstructive politics is all that stands in between America and a long slow decline."^[13]

Following the 2017 New Zealand general election it was announced that Johansson would serve as the chief of staff for New Zealand First, succeeding David Broome. This announcement was met with surprise, including from political commentator Bryce Edwards and Sir Bob Jones.^[14][15] New Zealand First was defeated in the 2020 election and Johansson became a communications consultant and newspaper columnist. One column reflected on things he regretted during his time as chief of staff: he nominated the government's decision to place responsibility for purchasing SeaGuardian drones with the Defence Force rather than the National Emergency Management Agency and reforming, rather than ending, the sport of greyhound racing.^[16]

He returned to politics after the 2023 election when New Zealand First was re-elected, taking a position as a special advisor on foreign affairs to New Zealand First leader and foreign affairs minister Winston Peters.^[17]

Scholarship

Orewa Speech

Johansson published a criticism of the Orewa Speech, which was delivered by Don Brash, the then-Leader of the Opposition: "Whether intended or not, the Orewa speech reinforced the ignorant and racist stereotype that Māori were 'savages' before the 'gift' of European civilisation was visited upon them."^[18] This article appeared in a 2004 issue of Political Science, for which Johansson was guest editor.^[19]

Politics of Possibility

Johansson published The Politics of Possibility: Leadership in Changing Times in 2009.^[10] In this monograph, Johansson attempts to discern if there are cycles in New Zealand politics. Drawing on the scholarship of Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. and Erwin C. Hargrove, Johansson articulates three types of periods in New Zealand politics: preparation, achievement and consolidation. Johansson categorised the Prime Ministers of New Zealand:

Preparation	Achievement	Consolidation
		Robert Muldoon
	David Lange	Geoffrey Palmer
	Jim Bolger (1990–1993)	Jim Bolger (1996–1998)
Jim Bolger (1993–1996)		Jenny Shipley
John Key		Helen Clark

Johansson also argued that there have been four transformative epochs in New Zealand political history. The first was the centralisation of government under Julius Vogel. The second was the emergence of an "active and fair state" under the Liberal administration of John Ballance and Richard Seddon. The third was the establishment of a comprehensive welfare state under the First Labour Government. The fourth was the monumental economic reforms under the Fourth Labour Government.

Select bibliography

Journal articles

• Johansson, Jon (2004). "Orewa and the Rhetoric of Illusion". Political Science. 56 (2): 111–129. doi:10.1177/003231870405600212. ISSN 0032-3187.

Speeches

• Johansson, Jon (27 October 2007). Opportunities and challenges for New Zealand First in 2008 (Speech). New Zealand First party conference 2007. Taupō, New Zealand. Retrieved 9 May 2024.

Monographs

• Johansson, Jon (2005). Two Titans: Muldoon, Lange and Leadership. Wellington, New Zealand: Dunmore Publishing. ISBN 978-1-877399-01-5.
• Johansson, Jon (2009). The Politics of Possibility: Leadership in Changing Times. Wellington, New Zealand: Dunmore Publishing. ISBN 978-1877399-46-6.
• Johansson, Jon (2014). US Leadership in Political Time and Space: Pathfinders, Patriots, and Existential Heroes. Palgrave McMillan. ISBN 978-1-137-38683-0.

Co-edited with Stephen Levine

• Johansson, Jon; Levine, Stephen (2013). Kicking the Tyres. Wellington: Victoria Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0-86473-834-9.

• Levine, Stephen; Johansson, Jon (2015). Moments of Truth. Wellington: Victoria Univ. Press. ISBN 978-1-77656-049-3.

References

1. "Two titans : Muldoon, Lange and leadership / Jon Johansson". National Library of New Zealand. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
2. "Political scientist Jon Johansson made NZ First chief of staff". Stuff. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
3. "Jon Johansson | School of History, Philosophy, Political Science and International Relations | Victoria University of Wellington". www.victoria.ac.nz. Archived from the original on 21 February 2018. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
4. Victoria University of Wellington. "Political Science and International Relations Programme Prizes". www.wgtn.ac.nz. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
5. Johansson, Jon (2002). Political Leadership in New Zealand: Theory & Practice (PhD). Victoria University of Wellington.
6. Friedman, Thomas L. (27 March 2012). "Opinion | Elephants Down Under". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
7. Johansson, Jon (2005). Two Titans: Muldoon, Lange and Leadership. Wellington, New Zealand: Dunmore Publishing. ISBN 978-1-877399-01-5.
8. "Two Titans: Muldoon and Lange". Scoop News. 26 March 2024. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
9. Young, Audrey (5 November 2007). "Speech well worth a read". NZ Herald. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
10. Johansson, Jon (2009). The Politics of Possibility: Leadership in Changing Times. Wellington: Dunmore Press.
11. "Alumni Voice: Jon Johansson – Research culminates in Fulbright book". Fulbright New Zealand. 15 January 2015. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
12. Johansson, Jon (2014). US Leadership in Political Time and Space: Pathfinders, Patriots, and Existential Heroes. Palgrave McMillan. ISBN 978-1-137-38683-0.
13. "New Zealand perspective on Obama presidency". Scoop News. 26 March 2024. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
14. Edwards, Bryce (31 October 2017). "Political Roundup: The surprising new power behind Winston Peters". NZ Herald. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
15. Jones, Bob (28 December 2017). "Appearances are deceiving – so are politicians". The National Business Review. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
16. Johansson, Jon (25 June 2022). "Shoulda, woulda, coulda: My regrets during my time inside the Beehive". Stuff. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
17. "Audrey Young: Foreign Minister Mark III – Peters surrounded by old work family". NZ Herald. 26 December 2023. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
18. Johansson, Jon (December 2004). "Orewa and the Rhetoric of Illusion". Political Science. 56 (2): 111–129. doi:10.1177/003231870405600212. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
19. "Political Science, Volume 56, Issue 2 (2004)". Taylor & Francis. Retrieved 10 May 2024.