Uniting Mississippi: Democracy and Leadership in the South

Marc Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index. Review Quotes:"The words 'philosophy' and 'practical' are rarely used together. Using the challenged state of Mississippi as an example, Professor Weber offers clear guidance on how inspired democratic leadership can bring about needed change. There are pearls of wisdom here for both the scholar and the aspiring leader."--Daniel W. Jones, MD, professor of physiology and medicine, former dean of the School of Medicine, and former chancellor at the University of MississippiReview Quotes:"This book is the beginning of a desperately needed conversation in Mississippi about the future of the state. It addresses an issue that nearly everyone is aware of--the need for high quality education for Mississippians--with an understanding that it must precede rather than flow from economic growth. Anyone interested in education policy in Mississippi should read and consider the case for education in this book."--Robert Mellen, Jr., assistant professor and undergraduate coordinator at Mississippi State UniversityReview Quotes:"I am often in conversation with groups and individuals around the state who are working hard to improve the lives of Mississippians. Some of the greatest needs in that work are an understanding of our history, the need for a common language to describe where we are in that history, and the creation of a community of practice that shares best practices and ideas. Dr. Weber's book is an excellent start for supporting this crucial work."--Susan Glisson, executive director of the William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation at the University of MississippiPublisher Marketing: Uniting Mississippi: Democracy and Leadership in the South applies a new, philosophically informed theory of democratic leadership to Mississippi's challenges. Governor William F. Winter has written a foreword for the book, supporting the proposals that it presents. The book begins with an examination of Mississippi's apparent Catch-22, namely the difficulty of addressing problems of poverty without fixing issues in education first, and vice versa. The author argues that this apparent difficulty can be overcome. Since the approach to addressing poverty has for so long been unsuccessful, the problem of poverty is reconsidered. The challenges of educational failure are explored to reveal the extent to which there appears to be a caste system of schooling, in which certain groups of people are educated in schools that are underfunded and failing. The ideals of democracy reject hierarchies of citizenship, and thus are tested in Mississippi. Theories of good leadership in general and of democratic leadership in particular are introduced to show how Mississippi's challenges could be addressed with the guidance of democratic values. The book draws on insights from classical and contemporary philosophical outlooks on leadership, which highlight four key social virtues: wisdom, courage, moderation, and justice. Within this framework, Mississippi's problems of poverty and educational frustration are approached in a novel way that is applicable in and beyond the rural South. Each of the virtues of democratic leadership is emphasized with regard to particular problems, and the book includes some overarching lessons to draw and values to advance. The author's editorial essays are included in the appendix as examples of engagement in public inquiry for the sake of democratic leadership. Contributor Bio:  Weber, Eric Thomas Eric Thomas Weber, Oxford, Mississippi, is associate professor of public policy leadership at the University of Mississippi and the recipient of the Mississippi Humanities Council's 2015 Public Scholar Award. He serves as executive director of the Society of Philosophers in America and is the author of three books, including "Democracy and Leadership: On Pragmatism and Virtue".