The Routledge Critical Companion to Leadership Studies

David Knights editor Owain Smolović-Jones editor Suze Wilson editor Helena Liu editor

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Taylor & Francis Ltd

Published:25th Dec '25

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The Routledge Critical Companion to Leadership Studies cover

The Routledge Critical Companion to Leadership Studies offers a rich and insightful overview of critical leadership studies for students, teachers, researchers, and practitioners. The volume draws together 35 chapters from 56 authors who represent the vibrant diversity of the critical leadership community. It includes chapters from emerging and preeminent scholars who share an interest in directing leadership theorizing, development and practice toward the aims of liberation, justice, and equity.

The Companion is organized into six themes: (1) philosophical perspectives on leadership; (2) processes, practices, and power dynamics in leadership; (3) diversity and leadership; (4) leadership education and development; (5) lessons from the dark side of leadership; and (6) reimagining leadership and leadership studies.

The book has been curated to serve as a "go to" resource for undergraduate and postgraduate students, academic staff, and researchers seeking to understand the current state of play on a given topic, as well as inspiration for how they might contribute to its development. Each chapter provides a comprehensive yet succinct review of contemporary literature and offers the reader avenues for future research. Leadership practitioners will also find provocative ideas among these pages to help them interrogate and transform the ways they lead.

"A fabulous collection of articles and authors for anyone interested in critical approaches to leadership and a worthy stand against the complacency and conceit that passes for so much literature in the leadership field. This is a veritable beacon of light amidst the conventional sea of leadership fog and formulae that promise so much and deliver so little." Keith Grint, Emeritus Professor, Warwick Business School

"The articles in this Critical Companion take leadership studies from a dismal science to a dazzling art. The authors poke at the field’s positivist dogma, tackle pressing questions about today’s leaders, and even take to task the word “leadership.” They do this to offer new and better ways of understanding and imagining leaders and followers." Professor Joanne B. Ciulla, Rutgers University

"This invaluable collection features the most interesting and insightful scholars writing about leadership today. A critical perspective is front and centre, with an essential focus on power and inequality and how these shape theory, development and practice. An essential book for those concerned with how we do leadership now, and how this can change." Professor Kate Kenny, Professor of Business and Society, University of Galway

ISBN: 9781032425160

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: 950g

494 pages