Prelims

Half Title Page

THE ROMANCE OF HEROISM AND HEROIC LEADERSHIP

Title Page

THE ROMANCE OF HEROISM AND HEROIC LEADERSHIP

BY

GEORGE R. GOETHALS

and

SCOTT T. ALLISON

University of Richmond

United Kingdom – North America – Japan – India – Malaysia – China

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley BD16 1WA, UK

First edition 2019

Copyright © 2019 Emerald Publishing Limited

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ISBN: 978-1-78756-658-3 (Print)

ISBN: 978-1-78756-655-2 (Online)

ISBN: 978-1-78756-657-6 (Epub)

Acknowledgements

For over a decade now we have tried to penetrate the complexities in the way people choose and perceive their heroes. At the same time, we have tried to outline carefully how people go beyond the ordinary to transform themselves in heroes. This books represents our efforts to integrate these two elements of heroism science. What constitutes and defines heroism, and how do people construct larger than life images of and stories about the extraordinary people they deem to be heroes? In attempting to answer these questions we have been supported by many colleagues, family, and friends. We are grateful to Dean Sandra Peart of the Jepson School of Leadership Studies and our fellow faculty members Kristin Bezio, Peter Kaufman, and Terry Price at Jepson and Karyn Kuhn, Camilla Nonterah, Matt Lowder, Kristjen Lundberg, Lisa Jobe-Shields, Karen Kochel, and Laura Knouse in the Department of Psychology. Elizabeth DeBusk-Maslanka has been exceptionally helpful in all aspects of editing this volume. She has been a source of wisdom and great generosity. Stephanie Trent helps in many ways to make it easier to do our work, and we are grateful.

At Emerald, we wish to thank Charlotte Maiorana for her interest and support and Charlie Wilson for her wonderful step-by-step guidance through the production process. You have made working with Emerald most rewarding.

Our families have had our backs throughout the months we have worked on this project. In particular, our heroic wives, Marion and Connie, have sustained the romance of marriage that enables us to do our work. We are forever grateful.

About the Authors

George R. Goethals holds the E. Claiborne Robins Distinguished Professorship in Leadership Studies at the Jepson School of Leadership Studies at the University of Richmond, Virginia. Previously at Williams College he served as Chair of the Department of Psychology, Founding Chair of the Program in Leadership Studies, and Provost. His recent books include Presidential Leadership and African Americans: “An American Dilemma” from Slavery to Freedom (Routledge, 2015) and Realignment, Region and Race: Presidential Leadership and Social Identity (Emerald Publishing, 2018). With Scott Allison, he has written about heroes and heroic leadership.

Scott T. Allison is Professor of Psychology at the University of Richmond. He has authored numerous books, including Heroes (OUP, 2011) and Heroic Leadership (Routledge, 2013). His other books include Heroic Humility (American Psychological Association, 2018), Reel Heroes & Villains (Agile Writer Press, 2015), Conceptions of Leadership (Palgrave Macmillan, 2014), Frontiers in Spiritual Leadership (Palgrave Macmillan, 2016), and the Handbook of Heroism and Heroic Leadership (Routledge, 2016). His work has appeared in USA Today, National Public Radio, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Slate Magazine, MSNBC, CBS, Psychology Today, and The Christian Science Monitor. He has received Richmond’s “Distinguished Educator Award” and the Virginia Council of Higher Education’s “Outstanding Faculty Award.”