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Sverre Spoelstra, portrait image.

Sverre Spoelstra

Senior lecturer

Sverre Spoelstra, portrait image.

The truths and falsehoods of post-truth leaders

Author

  • Sverre Spoelstra

Summary, in English

Over the last three years, the idea of a ‘post-truth society’ has become a common talking point. Politicians from around the world, from Europe to South America to the United States, have been labelled as ‘post-truth leaders’, with Donald Trump being portrayed as the standard bearer for this new kind of political discourse. This article suggests that post-truth leadership is nothing new. Ever since Max Weber developed his notion of charismatic leadership in the early 20th century, Western societies have been infatuated with the idea that leaders ought not concern themselves too much with factual reality. In a sense, leadership has been post-truth all along.

Department/s

  • Organizational Studies

Publishing year

2020-12-01

Language

English

Pages

757-764

Publication/Series

Leadership

Volume

16

Issue

6

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

SAGE Publications

Topic

  • Political Science (excluding Public Administration Studies and Globalization Studies)

Keywords

  • charisma
  • Donald Trump
  • facts
  • leadership
  • Max Weber
  • politics
  • Post-truth

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1742-7150