“Part handbook for newcomers to Parliament Hill, part academic investigation into the dynamics of backbench power in federal politics, Whipped exposes a dearth of critical thinking in the halls of power. Pulling riveting material from over one hundred interviews he conducted through unrivalled access to the world of politics, Alex Marland illuminates the culture of secrecy and perpetual quest for electoral victory that often stifles dissent and the democratic process. But this is not a rant. It is a nuanced and colourful examination of who has power over elected officials, what strings they can pull, and the limitations on their drive for conformity.”

— 2021 Shaughnessy Cohen Prize Jury (Peter Dauvergne, Adrian Harewood, and Heather Scoffield)