Dr Tavan lectures in a variety of Politics areas, including Australian Politics, political communication and political culture. Her research interests include Australian political institutions and culture, the politics and history of immigration and citizenship in Australian and international contexts, political communication and leadership studies. She has published several articles, book chapters and two edited volumes. Her best-known work is the award-winning The Long, Slow Death of White Australia (Scribe, 2005). She regularly engages in public debates and discussions on immigration and national identity issues.