Dr. Brent Cusher and Dr. Mark Menaldo - Your Invitation to the Conversation

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Brent Cusher, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Leadership and American Studies at Christopher Newport University, where he teaches courses in the Leadership Studies and Honors programs. His teaching and research interests are on the intersection of leadership and the history of political philosophy, specifically focusing on models of leadership in classical Greek philosophy. His work can be found in the Journal of Politics, the Journal of Leadership Education, Law, Culture, and the Humanities, and The Political Science Reviewer. He has held appointments at Carleton College, Rhodes College, and the University of Alaska (Anchorage). He and his wife live in Newport News, VA with their children, Violet, Zooey, and Axel.

Mark A. Menaldo, Ph.D., is the Department Head and Associate Professor of Liberal Studies. He started at Texas A&M-Commerce in 2017 after spending seven years at Texas A&M International University. He attended Colorado College as an undergraduate student, and it was here that Menaldo discovered the art of close reading and the power of interdisciplinary scholarship. He took these skills with him to Michigan State University where he earned his Ph.D. in Political Science. When he is not teaching, he can usually be found drinking coffee at the local cafe, reading a book, or talking to friends. He and his wife are the proud parents of three children, Oliver, Henry, and Ava. They live in Greenville, TX.

Book - Philosophy and Leadership: Three Classical Models and Cases

Connecting with Mark and Brent

• Brent Cusher 
• Mark Menaldo

Quotes From This Episode

• "We see philosophy as one big conversation amongst individuals across time. What we want to do is invite people to that conversation."
• "I don't mind putting all of my cards on the table in saying that I think Plato is the most interesting philosopher that there was."
• "I became a philosophy student because I read the Republic. There's something transhistorical about the way he invites you to the conversation."
• "I think if you read our book, and are at the same time steeped in leadership studies literature - and this is a bold claim - you're going to start to understand why Leadership Studies sounds a little cacophonous."

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

• Plato: the Republic
• Aristotle: The Nicomachean Ethics
• Machiavelli: The Prince
• Netflix: Inside Bill's Brain

About The International Leadership Association (ILA)

• The ILA was created in 1999 to bring together professionals with a keen interest in the study, practice, and teaching of leadership. Today, ILA is the largest worldwide community committed to leadership scholarship, development, and practice. 

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