Routledge Handbook of the Sociology of American Presidency on a Global Stage Sociopolitical Forces, Leadership, and Governance Volume II

List of Figures
List of Tables
List of Contributors

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 Unraveling 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: How Technology Shaped the 2024 Presidential Campaigns
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. Spectacle and Empire: Law, Governance, and Democracy
Adebowale Akande

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, and Jakob Lauring

13. Theoretical Paradigms: Systems Theory, Social Action Theory and Power, and Relations Dependence and Authority
David C. Coker

Part III: Disorder and Dominion: Global Power Shifts, Political Mythmaking, and the Erosion of Innocence

14. Mass-Scale Protests: Vladimir Putin and Disruptive Politics—Russia’s “Hybrid Aggression” against Georgia
Andrey Makarychev

15. Propaganda and Power: Shaping Public Perceptions in Modern Politics
Vlad Mǎrginaş and Sergiu Mișcoiu

16. Children Fall Apart: The Presidency, Structural Violence, and the War on Childhood
Adebowale Akande, Funmi Odewale, Vito Bobek, Estee Ti. Akande, Steven G. Koven, Kim A. Haynes, Elizabeth Goryunova, Ester Shapiro, and David C. Coker

Part IV: Specters of Power and Ideologies of Collapse—Denial, Supremacy, and the Myth of Progress

17. Zombie Causes: Moldy Corpses, Rising Again
Barbara Alice Mann

18. A Trumpian Fantasy Hoax as Existential Threat
Bruce E. Johansen

19. The best of all Possible Worlds: Measuring Progress In Relative vs Absolute Terms
Leonardo Díaz Abraham and Rodrigo R. Gómez Garza

20. Climate Crimes and the Trump Administration: The Politics of Environmental Destruction
Ronald C. Kramer

Part V: Contours of Presidential Power: Law, Foreign Policy, and Global Order

21. The Press and Presidential Public Diplomacy: Coverage of the Clinton and Obama Trips to Ghana in the New York Times and Ghanaian Times
Todd Schaefer 

22. Breaking Barriers: Kamala Harris and the Struggle for Women’s Political Leadership
Timothy C. Bagwell and Heather C. Roberson

23. Netanyahu: A War Horse, Not the Messiah’s Donkey
José Filipe Pinto 

24. World on the Brink: An Essay on World War III
Zaki Kamal

25. America, Nuclear Stability in Asia, and a Rising China
Stephen J. Cimbala 

26. U.S. Foreign Policy Traditions and the Foreign Policy of the First Donald J. Trump Administration (2017–2020)
Yannis A. Stivachtis

27. Democracy in Retreat: Misrule, Extremism, and the Transatlantic Collapse of the Political Center—From the 1930s to Today
Vito Bobek, Julian Seebacher, and Simona Kustec

28. The New Cold War with Russia: Trump’s Influence on the Global Divide
Armin Krishnan

29. Constitutional Meaning in an Age of Contestation: Beyond Judicial Finality and Executive Absolutism
Adebowale Akande and Louis Fisher 

Epilogue

Biography

Adebowale Akande is a distinguished international social theorist and political psychosociologist, recognized for his thoughtful contributions to presidential studies, political sociology, leadership psychology, and global organizational behavior. As a scientist–practitioner, he bridges theory and practice, advancing cross- cultural leadership research while engaging with real- world organizational challenges. His collaborative work with leading scholars in American and global politics and social science reflects a commitment to rigorous scholarship and practical insight, making his voice both credible and influential on the global stage. 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 a senior professor and an international director for IR GLOBE in Vancouver, Canada, and as a 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.