Full Description
This handbook, designed for sociologists, political scientists and historians, offers a compelling examination of the American presidency through the framework of sociological theory.
Through a premiere collection of scholarly essays, this volume addresses the "crisis of democracy" in the United States, emphasizing the importance of ethical, evidence-based leadership, highlighting the social turbulence during the Trump administration that is marked by an increase in hate crimes and a decline in civil discourse that many attribute to Trump's divisive rhetoric. By merging sociological insights with an analysis of Trump's political behavior, the text deepens the understanding of the presidency and its societal implications as it meticulously examines how social dynamics—such as class, race, and gender—shape policies, public perception, and the legacy of presidents. The narrative critiques the evolving societal expectations and cultural norms that impact the officeholder's actions, alongside the media's role in shaping public opinion, challenging readers to view the presidency not as a singular entity but as a reflection of the collective consciousness of the nation.
Detailing key themes that include authoritarianism, nativist-populism, ethnonationalism, and social psychology, this book provides a fresh perspective on political leadership and sparks discussions about the complexities of the presidential role in a changing society, serving as an essential academic tool in understanding the intersection of politics and society.
Contents
Introduction: The Presidency as Cultural Battleground: Authoritarian Populism and the Politics of Backlash
Adebowale Akande
Part I: America's Democratic Dilemma—Presidency and Governance in A Divided Nation
1. The American Presidency: Authority, Democracy, and the Continuing Struggle for the Rule of Law
Adebowal Akande, and Mark Goodman
2. Money, Media, And Celebrity Endorsements: The Unseen Influences of the 2024 Us Presidential Election
Vito Bobek, Suzana Sedmak, and Tatjana Horvat
3. The Failed Presidency of Donald Trump from the Trump/Musk/DOGE Assault on Democracy to the Epstein Scandal
Douglas Kellner
4. Presidential Leadership and Electoral Politics: A Case Study of the 2024 U.S. Election
Vito Bobek, Kevin Steigenberger, Simona Kustec
5. United States of Donald Trump: MAGA, the Spectacle, The Schism, and The Takeover of American Democracy
Adebowale Akande, Vito Bobek, Douglas Kellner, and José Filipe Pinto
6. Racism in History and Under Trump: The Anatomy of Exclusion Across Eras
Mark Goodman
7. Populism, Messianism, and Fascist Threats in the Americas
Carlos de la Torre
Part II: The Drivers of Populist Politics—Identity, Power, and the Politics of Narrative
8. Populism: Myths, Fallacies, Typologies, and Democratic Threats
José Filipe Pinto
9. Donald Trump and Negative Populism: Sociological Perspectives on National Identity and Political Divisions
Joseph R. Rudolph, Jr
10. Where Are the Young? The Battle between Common Sense and Meritocracy
Henrik P. Bang
11. Donald J. Trump: Revered, Reviled, and the Sociology of Political Polarization
Bruce E. Johansen
12. Race and the Machinery of Demagoguery: The U.S. Political Economy Exposed
Y. G-M. Lulat
13. Presidential Approval and the Midterm Effect: A Sociological Analysis of Public Opinion and Political Accountability
David A. Jones
Part III: The Drivers of Democratic Decline—Leadership, Media, and the Politics of Misinformation
14. The American Presidency: Contrasts and Continuities in Leadership from Bush to Trump
Douglas Kellner
15. Explaining Anti-Eu Prejudice: The European Union and the United States in Comparative PerspectiveYannis A. Stivachtis
16. Fractured Frames and Fearful Fictions: Tucker Carlson's Media Rhetoric and the Sociology of Misinformation and right-wing Polarization
Burton Speakman
17. Theorizing the Racialization of Post-1965 Nonwhite Immigrants in the United States
Philip Q. Yang and Kavitha Koshy
18. The Democratic Party's Decline and the GOP's Rise to Trifecta Power: Lessons from the 2024 U.S. Elections
Vito Bobek, Kevin Steigenberger, Simona Kustec
19. The Return of the Strong men
John Pratt
20. Democracy Under Siege: Populism, Demagoguery, and the Rise of Performative PowerEric Schansberg
Part IV: America's Global Role—Foreign Policy and Strategic Shifts
21. American Foreign Policy in a Multi-Order World: Power, Influence, and Global Change
José Filipe Pinto
22. The Pragmatist in Chief: Crisis Management, Presidential Models and Middle East Policy in the Obama Years
Luis da Vinha and Anthony Dutton
23. American Exceptionalism through Cultural, Demographic and Economic Lens
Steven G. Koven
24. Presidents, Powers, and Proxy Wars: Geopolitical Perspectives on U.S. Leadership in the Middle East
Armin Krishnan
Part V. Shadowed Legacies and Sociological Reckonings: Race, Memory, and Identity Beyond the Oval Frame
25. Presidential Power and the Sociological Silences: Suicide, Race, And Relational Vulnerability in African American Life
David Lester and Adebowale Akande
26. Why the Hell Would Anybody Study History?
Alfred A. Cave with Barbara Alice Mann and Adebowale Akande
27. Black Identity
Monicka Brown and Philip Q. Yang
28. Why Xenophobia in a Nation Built by Strangers (Immigrants)?
Natsu Taylor Saito
29. Identity Threat, Domain-Specific Self-Esteem, and Intergroup Discrimination: Psychological Foundations of Leadership and Belonging in American Governance
John A. Hunter, Adebowale Akande, and Maurice Stringer
