About the Book
The Global Obama examines the president’s image in five continents and more than twenty countries. It is the first book to look at Barack Obama’s presidency and analyze how Obama and America are viewed by publics, governments, and political commentators around world. The author of Barack Obama in Hawaii and Indonesia: The Making of a Global President (Top 10 Black History Book) scaled the globe to gather opinions – cultural, historical, and political analyses – about Obama’s leadership style. Writers, journalists, psychologists, consultants, and social scientists present their views on Obama’s leadership, popularity, and many of the global challenges that still remain unresolved. As a progress report, this is the first book that tries to grasp ‘the Obama phenomenon’ in totality, as perceived by populations around the world with special focus on America’s leadership in the 21st Century.
Table of Contents:
Part I: Obama as a Global Leader 1. Obama’s Adventures in Globalization D. Sharma, U.P. Gielen 2. President Obama and American Exceptionalism: Is the U.S. an Indispensable Nation in a Multipolar World? G.W. Streich, K Marrar 3. Obama’s Leadership in the Era of Globalization: A Critical Examination R.S. Bhagat, A.S. McDevitt, M. Shin, B.N. Srivastava, D.L. Ford 4. Barack Obama and Inclusive Leadership in Engaging Followership E. Hollander Part II: Africa 5. Obama, Hillary, and Women’s Voices D. Sharma 6. Afro-Optimism from Mahatma Gandhi to Barack Obama: A Tale of Two Prophecies A. Mazrui 7. African Diasporas, Immigration, and the Obama Administration P. T. Zeleza, C. Veney Part III: The Americas 8. Love as Distraction: Canadians, Obama, and African- Canadian Political Invisibility R. Walcott 9. Changing Times and Economic Cycles: President Obama – the Southern Continent, Mexico, and the Caribbean E. Moncarz, R. Moncarz Part IV: Europe 10. Is Obamamania over in Europe? A. Kalaitzidis 11. Obama's French Connection D. Morrison 12. A Relationship of Hope and Misinterpretation: Germany and Obama T. Cieslik Part V: The Middle East and Israel 13. Arab Images of Obama and the United States: An Egyptian R. Ahmed 14. Obama, Iran, and the New Great Game in Eurasia P. Escobar 15. Great Disappointments in the Arab World during Obama’s First Term M. Masad Part VI: Asia-Pacific Region16. Bent by History in Afghanistan A. Munoz 17. Between Popularity and Pragmatism: South Korea’s Perspectives on Obama’s First Term M. Maass 18. The Chinese View of President Obama B. Shobert 19. Radical Manhood and Traditional Masculinity: Japanese Acknowledgements for Literary Obama E. Senaha Part VII: Conclusion 20. A View from Israel: A Critical Commentary of Obama's Leadership Style D. Efune 21. A Commentary from South Africa: Commentary S. Cooper 22. Obama’s Leadership Paradigm in India: A Personal Reflection S. Singh 23.President Obama: A Commentary From Russia E. Osin 24. America’s Asian Century: A Mirage or Reality? D. Sharma
About the Author :
Dinesh Sharma is the author of Barack Obama in Hawaii and Indonesia: The Making of a Global President, which was rated as the Top 10 Black History Book for 2012 by the American Library Association. He is a regular columnist for Asia Times Online, The Global Intelligence, and a contributor to Al Jazeera English, Eastern Eye, News Blaze and many other news websites. Currently, he is an Associate Research Professor (Hon.) at the Institute for Global Cultural Studies, SUNY-Binghamton, Senior Fellow at the Institute for International and Cross-Cultural Research, New York, and a Host and Producer at Princeton TV. He has consulted in the healthcare industry for almost ten years for Fortune 500 clients, while he authored or edited six books and hundreds of peer-reviewed, scientific as well as journalistic articles. His other books or monographs include: Psychoanalysis, Culture and Religion (2014); Human Technogenesis: Cultural Pathways through the Information Age (2004); Childhood, Family and Sociocultural Change in India (2003); Socioemotional Development Across Cultures (1998). He earned a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Loyola University and Doctorate in Human Development and Psychology from Harvard University.
Uwe P. Gielen is the Founder and Executive Director of the Institute for International and Cross-Cultural Psychology at St. Francis College, New York. He is the editor of some 20 books including (with Roy Moodley and Rosa Wu) Handbook of Counseling and Psychotherapy in an International Context (2013) and (with Michael Stevens) Toward a Global Psychology: Theory, Research, Intervention, and Pedagogy (2007). He earned a Master’s degree in Psychology from Wake Forest University and a Doctorate in Social Psychology from Harvard University.
Review :
"Routledge’s Leadership: Theory and Practice series is a significant addition to the current scholarship on leadership, and The Global Obama: Crossroads of Leadership in the 21stCentury, edited by Obama biographer Dinesh Sharma and psychologist Uwe Glelen, offers penetrating observations about President Obama’s leadership style as it relates to foreign policy. With contributions from scholars from all five continents, this book is a trove of information and insight." -- James MacGregor Burns, author of Leadership
"An extraordinary book, not only in its sheer range of views on Obama's leadership from around the world, but on the dilemmas and possibilities of American presidency in a global context." -- Sudhir Kakar, Psychoanalyst, Writer and Management Guru, Goa, India and INSEAD, France
"True leaders do not follow where the path may lead but go where there is no path and where they can leave a trail. Dinesh Sharma and his associates have exactly done that, taking a kaleidoscopic look at the enigma that is Obama—an individual who is a true leader in hope (to quote Napoleon). For anyone who wants to know more about this US president, this book will be a must." -- Manfred F. R. Kets de Vries, Distinguished Clinical Professor of Leadership and Organizational Change, The Raoul de Vitry d'Avaucourt Chaired Professor of Leadership Development, INSEAD, France
"This global report card on President Obama by a diverse group of top contributors is a comprehensive examination of "the global Obama": the promise and the performance. It is a book certain to attract attention, and deserves a wide audience. It is first-rate from start to finish." -- Michael A. Genovese, Loyola Chair of Leadership, Professor, Political Science Director, Institute for Leadership Studies, Loyola Marymount University, USA
"This book is a most riveting exploration of the strength of a President of the most powerful country in the world, to be able to bridge the gap between the races, genders, cultures, religions and the powerful and the powerless, and his ability to bring about peace in the world through nonviolent means, written by some of the most respected international scholars." -- Ela Gandhi, Politician, Peace Activist and Director, Gandhi Development Trust, and Former Member of Parliament, South Africa
"There have been attempts, through collections of essays, to portray Obama as a global leader -- the first international President since Thomas Jefferson. This collection is the first to really accomplish this difficult task. Indeed, most of the essays in this volume take a big step forward. They describe how Obama changed America's image abroad and the specific ways and locations in which this was done. How can one ask for more? The book is far more than a study of the 44th President." -- Lawrence J. Friedman, Mind, Brain and Behavior Initiative, Harvard University, and Professor Emeritus of History, Indiana University, USA
"The Global Obama presents a sophisticated progress report on the worldwide impact of the Obama presidency. Anyone seeking to understand how both Obama and America are perceived and judged internationally will find the answer in this book." -- Robert A. LeVine, Professor Emeritus of Anthropology and Education, Harvard University, USA
"An invaluable resource and wonderful read. This exploration of Barack Obama’s impact on the international stage and his relationship to lands beyond American shores commands the attention of readers seeking to understand the importance and complexity of presidential leadership in the modern world." -- George Goethals, Professor, E. Claiborne Robins Distinguished Professorship in Leadership Studies, University of Richmond, USA
"The Global Obama: Crossroads of Leadership in the 21st Century is an enlightening book on Barack Obama’s presidency leading up to his current term. In this exceptional book, edited by distinguished scholars Dinesh Sharma and Uwe P. Gielen, a number of outstanding contributors from around the world share their perspectives on Obama’s leadership, struggles, and accomplishments, as viewed globally. This book is unique in its diverse and comprehensive international view of Obama’s role as president of the United States. Each chapter provides a new context for understanding Obama as both an international leader as well as an individual with his own history. The Global Obama is not only an essential book for those interested in contemporary political psychology; I highly recommend it for both students and professionals, as well as for those who share a commitment to understanding greater issues of leadership and globalization in our ever-changing society." --Florence L. Denmark, Ph.D. Robert Scott Pace Distinguished Research Professor of Psychology, Former president of the American Psychological Association
"The Global Obama is a commendable experiment in applying almost the entire spectrum of social science knowledge to a single case of global leadership. The result is kaleidoscopic perspective on leadership in its most complex manifestation. Thought provoking." --Jagdeep S. Chhokar, Professor Emeritus of Management and Organisational Behaviour, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.
"A seminal exploration of Barack Obama's international standing, a collaborative collage painting a complex picture of the President as a Peace Prize planetary citizen, compassionate humanitarian, militaristic expansionist and Teflon diplomat with incomparable oratory skills. Bravo!" --Kam Williams
Syndicated Critic, AALBC.com
Dr. Sharma was welcomed for his previous book tour throughout EU and North America. I look forward to his new and insightful book "The Global Obama: Crossroads of Leadership in the 21st Century" (co-editor Uwe P. Gielen), a very timely read within the context of our present global challenges." -- Ken Sherman, International Vice Chair, and Former Chair, Democrats Abroad
"The Global Obama: Crossroads of Leadership in the 21st Century is an extraordinary and comprehensive book edited by two psychologists."-- Bernice Lott, PsycCRITIQUES
"This is the first book of its kind. No other volume has analyzed Obama’s leadership within the broader context of globalization in different parts of the world. By presenting an integrated view of global perceptions, this book addresses strategic issues concerning America’s future while building a global understanding of the Obama Presidency that digs deeper than regular opinion surveys do. The editors of this volume have done a fantastic job in putting together the various contributions thereby providing the reader with a comprehensive coverage of the chosen theme and a book where its individual parts tie up very well together. The volume contributors have also done an excellent job in responding to the set of questions advanced by the editors." -- Yannis Stivachtis, E-International Relations
