Democratizing Leadership

Counter-hegemonic Democracy in Communities, Organizations and Institutions

Edited by:
Mike Klein, University of St. Thomas

A volume in the series: Counter-Hegemonic Democracy and Social Change. Editor(s): Paul R. Carr, Université du Québec en Outaouais. Gina Thésée, University of Quebec à Montreal.

Published 2015

Democratizing Leadership: Counter‐hegemonic Democracy in Organizations, Institutions, and Communities promotes leadership in the democratization of culture to counter the current hegemony of domination and cultivate an alternative hegemony of collaboration. It is premised on a leadership framework for decision‐making rooted in democratic voice and leading to collective action. This broad peacebuilding prescription for individual and collective agency accounts for the constructive role of conflict in democratic pluralism, and the need to develop practices and structures that prevent violent conflict in order to advance positive peace. This theory addresses the contexts of deliberative, agonistic, and revolutionary democratic frameworks.

Democratizing Leadership is informed by three qualitative case studies described in rich detail. First Bank System Visual Art Program, In the Heart of the Beast Theater's May Day Ritual, and The Minnesota Alliance of Peacemakers exemplify the practice of democratizing leadership. These diverse settings include corporate banking during 1980's deregulation, an annual community May Day parade, and an informal alliance of peacemaking organizations. Leadership in each case promotes authentic voice, encourages decision‐making with integrity, and advocates for responsible collective action.

CONTENTS
Acknowledgments. Introduction. Counter‐Hegemonic Democratizing Leadership. Describing Terms. Democracy.Leadership.Power.Counter‐Hegemonic. Operationalizing Counter‐Hegemonic Democracy. The Art of Democratizing Leadership.Why Is This Necessary? Theorizing Counter‐Hegemonic Democratizing Leadership. Voice.Finding Voice.Using Voice.Using Voice Together Collective Voice as Political.Decision‐Making.Deliberative Frame Revolutionary Frame.Agonistic Frame.Deliberation, Revolution, or Agonism? Collective Action. Deliberative Collective Action. Revolutionary Collective Action. Agonistic Collective Action. Case Studies of Democratizing Leadership. Visual Arts at First Bank System. Voicing Discontent.Evolution of Curatorial Decision‐Making. Corporate Collective Action. May Day in In the Heart of the Beast Theater. Voicing Hopes and Concerns. Artistic Deliberations. Community Collective Action. The May Day Parade.Counter‐Hegemonic Red and Green Roots. Applications and Implications. Application Case Study: Minnesota Alliance of Peacemakers. Implications: Funnel Diagrams of Democratizing Leadership. Implications: Metaphors for Democratizing Leadership. Leadership Jazz.Social Fabric.Challenging Hegemony Through Metaphor. Conclusion Appendix: MAP SWOT Analysis Report—August 2012 (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) References. About the Author.