Amber Brittain-Hale, Ph.D.’s Post

The American Throne Room: When Executive Power Meets Cognitive Decline 🇺🇲 In early July 2024, the news cycle was filled with celebrations of American Independence Day and an increasingly heated swirl of speculation about President Joe Biden's cognitive fitness. "The conundrum of current leadership paradigms is missing frameworks and procedures for finding a leader fallible, unfit, or compromised due to psychological or biological factors." (Brittain-Hale, 2022). The question of leadership fallibility is timeless. Historical records demonstrate numerous instances of a ruler's incapacity significantly impacting governance. 👑 "A study of historical leadership raises the issue of whether the course of events is fixed, driven by socioeconomic factors that can be expressed in terms of established sociohistorical laws, or if it is more capriciously dictated by eventualities such as the untimely death of a prince without rightful heirs, the assassination of a prospective successor to the throne at the hands of a lunatic, or a natural calamity that threatens to destroy a state." (Brittain-Hale, 2022) 🇬🇧 As we reflect on American independence, it's crucial to consider how George III's mental health challenges influenced history during his reign from 1760 to 1820. His periods of instability, particularly during the American Revolution and his later years, arguably contributed to the British loss of the colonies and the birth of a new nation. This historical example parallels contemporary challenges in leadership health and capacity. The present conundrum in American politics is two-fold: 💵 Firstly, there is a lack of a process or mechanism to change a presumptive nominee or ongoing campaign, along with the allocated campaign funds, to another candidate. This issue becomes particularly problematic when concerns about a candidate's fitness arise after securing significant financial and political support. 📃 Secondly, the 25th Amendment, designed to address presidential inability, has proven largely ineffective due to its lack of concrete markers and procedures and the potential for sycophantic loyalties in the presidential cabinet. This well-intentioned amendment has yet to be successfully deployed in a situation of ambiguous presidential incapacity. These issues transcend party lines, as evidenced by similar crises of confidence occurring with both Donald Trump in 2021 and Joe Biden in the current political climate. The challenge lies not in partisan politics but in the systemic lack of courage and transparent procedures to confront highly ambiguous crises in leadership across the political spectrum. Brittain-Hale, A. (2022). A Psychobiographical Leadership Examination Through Linguistic Analysis and Digital Ethnography. Speech presented at the Graduate School of Education and Psychology, Pepperdine University. BrainStates Inc

Family photo time: Giorgia Meloni, following an impressive performance in Euro elections, now stands at the head of the #G7 family photo. Trudeau strikes a customary wide-legged stance, exuding confidence, while Biden takes a step forward, hinting at prominence. However, Meloni's centered presence in an impossibly chic light pink suit, with hands clasped, suggests her holding actual power. #UngentlemanlyWarfare #diplomacy #foreignpolicy

Ursula Von Der Leyen is often criticized for being a “hawkish wartime boss.” Yet her same traits would likely be viewed positively in a man. My hot take, which is also supported by recent research, is that we lack a gendered understanding of foreign policy. We should desire and advocate for leadership models, like Von Der Leyen, that stress strength and humanity! Revise the old rules of warfare and diplomacy, and cue the #ungentlemanlywarfare- by which I mean the inclusion of female perspectives, innovation, and policy.

The attack on Mette Frederiksen today is abhorrent. My thoughts are with her and Denmark 🇩🇰. Political violence and threats against women in politics are a significant concern globally, undermining democracy and women's representation. Today's attack was a vile and debased way to target a #StrategicQueen. Mette Frederiksen is a vital European leader who is fighting Russian aggression and defensive malaise with careful and brilliant strategies. Prime Minister Frederiksen shows unmatched acumen in reimagining defense and diplomacy. #ungentlemanlywarfare She has courageously innovated policy while standing for an international rules-based order. https://lnkd.in/gYA2inZr

Are we watching women in diplomacy and defense who break norms in strategic and necessary ways? #onelessplane Minister Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmerman gives a reporter a response not hidden behind euphemisms or couched in soft rhetoric—it delivers the facts directly and decisively. #StrategicQueen “Leaders who are contextually responsive and 'attuned to contextual information' tend to demonstrate more pragmatic and situationally driven behavior.” (Brittain-Hale, 2023. Slava Ukraini…) #ungentlemanlywarfare

I am excited to share that I will present my latest research at the ATINER ATHENS conference in Greece! 🌍 My study, "Care and Community in Euro-Atlantic Diplomacy: A Discourse Analysis," continues my research into the crucial role of female-led diplomacy in contemporary international relations. Through Leadership Trait Analysis and FPA, I analyze the public diplomacy discourse of female leaders during the Russia-Ukraine War. These leaders, characterized by rational compassion and democratic values, challenge conventional power-centric diplomatic approaches. Their unified front, shaped by temporality and geography, is groundbreaking and fills a significant gap in existing literature. By incorporating dignity, solidarity, and resilience themes, they offer a fresh perspective on geopolitical conflicts, underscoring the human and community dimensions. I am looking forward to sharing these findings in Athens! 🇬🇷✨ #ATINER #Diplomacy #ForeignPolicy #Geopolitics #PublicDiplomacy