The Routledge Handbook of the Sociology of American Presidency on a Global Stage

Sociopolitical Forces, Leadership, and Governance Volume II
1. Auflage 2026
ISBN: 978-1-041-15947-6
Verlag: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Buch, Englisch, 632 Seiten, Format (B × H): 174 mm x 246 mm

Reihe: Routledge International Handbooks

The second volume of the Routledge Handbook of Sociological Perspectives on the American Presidency offers a bold and timely examination of the American presidency as a sociopolitical institution shaped by global currents, historical legacies, and evolving modes of leadership.

This handbook, designed for sociologists, political scientists and historians, offers a compelling examination of the American presidency through the framework of sociological theory. Organized into five thematic sections, this volume traverses the terrain of political campaigns, populist resurgence, media spectacle, and the symbolic choreography of presidential performance. It interrogates the influence of celebrity culture, digital technologies, and generational shifts on electoral outcomes and public perception. Beyond U.S. borders, the volume examines the global reverberations of presidential decision-making—from climate diplomacy and migration policy to nuclear tensions and authoritarian entanglements. Featuring comparative analyses of figures such as Carter, Trump, Harris, Putin, and Netanyahu, the essays within this collection situate leadership within broader sociological frameworks, including institutional theory, rhetorical politics, and transnational governance. It also engages with methodological innovations and critical paradigms that illuminate how individuals and systems navigate power, legitimacy, and resistance.

Grounded in rigorous scholarship and a global perspective, this handbook is an essential resource for understanding the presidency not as a national artifact, but as a dynamic force in shaping contemporary governance, political identity, and global order.

Zielgruppe

Academic, Undergraduate Advanced, and Undergraduate Core

Autoren/Hrsg.

Akande, Adebowale

Fachgebiete

• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Politische Systeme Zentralregierung
• Geisteswissenschaften Geschichtswissenschaft Weltgeschichte & Geschichte einzelner Länder und Gebietsräume Geschichte einzelner Länder Amerikanische Geschichte
• Interdisziplinäres Wissenschaften Wissenschaften: Allgemeines Enzyklopädien, Nachschlagewerke, Wörterbücher
• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Politikwissenschaft Allgemein Politische Studien zu einzelnen Ländern und Gebieten
• Sozialwissenschaften Soziologie | Soziale Arbeit Soziologie Allgemein Gesellschaftstheorie

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Introduction: The Presidency as Global Performance: Symbolic Power, Media Spectacle, and the Crisis of Democratic Representation
Adebowale Akande

Part I: Presidency in Crisis: Populism, Power, and the Unravelling of Democratic Ideals

1. The Presidential Difference: Persuasion and Power in a Fragmented Global Order
Adebowale Akande, Vito Bobek, Kim A. Haynes, Estee Ti. Akande, David A. Jones, and Filippo Ferrari

2. American Presidency: Donald Trump, Populism and democracy: Not the same but interconnected
Barbara Wejnert

3. The Politics of Spectacle: Kamala Harris, Donald Trump, and the Collapse of Democratic Norms
Douglas Kellner

4. A Strategy of Withdrawal: Surges, Power Projection, and the Limits of U.S. Statecraft
Luis da Vinha and Anthony Dutton

5. From Blockchain-Based Fundraising to Virtual Engagement Tools
Vito Bobek, Andrej Lisec, and Tatjana Horvat

6. The Pinwheel Presidency: Trump’s Foreign Policy and the Unravelling of Global Order
José Filipe Pinto

7. The Deconstruction of a President: Trump, Epstein, and the Spectacle of Power
Mark Goodman

8. The Politics of Influence—Presidential Power and the Shaping of Voter Behavior
Adebowale Akande, David Lester, and Bijou Yang

9. Mr. Trump and the Law: Power, Legitimacy, and Legal Institutions in American Society
David A. Jones

10. The Price of Power—Money, Autocracy, and the Decline of Liberal Democracy
Bruce E. Johansen

Part II: Structures of Power and Displacement: Theoretical Frames and Innovative Research Methodologies

11. Rethinking Research: Paradigms, Methodological Power, and the Politics of Inquiry
Adebowale Akande with Vito Bobek and Tatjana Horvat

12. Migration in Crisis—Qualitative Methods for Understanding and studying Migrants on the Move in the Trump Era
Dan Ha Le, Charlotte Jonasson, a

Über Autor(innen)

Adebowale Akande is a distinguished international social theorist and historian of ideas, recognized for his pioneering work in presidential studies, political sociology, leadership psychology, and global organizational behavior. Renowned for advancing cross-cultural leadership theory, he collaborates with leading scholars in American politics and social science.

His research spans presidential behavior, U.S. democracy, international relations, and the sociological psychology of leadership expectations. Dr. Akande has illuminated how CEO political behaviors align with cultural norms, and how social dynamics—cooperation, competition, and power—shape stereotypes and biases.

A foundational member of the landmark 2004 GLOBE study, he has earned numerous accolades, including the Commonwealth Academic Fellowship, the IUPSYS International Award, and the Gordon W. Allport Prize for his work on ambivalent sexism and global family relations. His fellowships span Taiwan, Japan, Austria, and India, reflecting his global scholarly reach.

Currently serving as international director for IR GLOBE in Vancouver, Canada, and as guest professor at several British Columbia universities, Dr. Akande continues to mentor future leaders. His research and editorial leadership have profoundly shaped contemporary understandings of political behavior, American democracy, and cultural dynamics.