Description
This course will evaluate leadership through the rich tapestry
of the human past. The course will study historical leaders on a case
study basis and will promote a deeper understanding of how context
and culture shape decision-making, and therefore influence
leadership. Students will be challenged throughout to develop an
understanding of cultures and circumstances far different than their
own, and to consider how we can apply a historically grounded
empathetic perspective to contemporary challenges. Throughout, the
course will focus on core questions, including the following: To
what extent do individual leadership characteristics, as opposed to
wider social, cultural, political, and economic forces, shape
historical outcomes? What, if any, identifiable leadership
characteristics can we detect across time, and how much do these
characteristics vary by culture? What are the pitfalls of applying
historical examples to contemporary problems, and how can we best
mitigate th