51st State?

As Australia and the United States grow closer economically and militarily, Dennis Altman, one of the most respected commentators on the U.S.-Australian relationship, questions the success of the cooperation between the two nations. While many Australians see the growing relationship as a threat to their country's sovereignty, Altman challenges this consensus, showing that the resilience of the Australian identity is hindering the application of the United States's neo-liberal principles. Elegant and succinct, this well-grounded reflection confronts the opinion that Australia is fast on its way to becoming essentially an American state, and examines the deeper questions of international exchange, such as what the model is for national success and how Australians imagine their own future.

Dennis Altman has taught at Harvard University, La Trobe University, the University of Chicago, and New York University. He has served on a range of international committees and was president of the AIDS Society of Asia and the Pacific for four years. He is the author of 11 books, including Defying Gravity, Global Sex, and Gore Vidal's America.