Race, Gender, and Leadership

Abstract

The preface to Race, Gender, and Leadership boldly declares that "this book takes up the charge putforth by cutting edge leadership scholars to envision new forms of leadership for the 21st century" (p. ix). Akey point of the book is that in criticizing traditional "masculine" forms of leadership and arguing insteadfor an alleged "female advantage" or "feminine leadership" style, feminist scholars have done little morethan perpetuate notions of dualism. Furthermore, the model of feminine leadership portrayed in the popularmedia is based on the experiences of a "select few" predominately white middle-class women. As a result,"The female advantage perspective excludes the experiences of African-American women as well as otherwomen of color and of different class statuses" (p. xv). Most important, it ignores the multiculturalperspective that is essential to understanding and advancing leadership development in an age ofglobalization.