1. Narcissism in full bloom; 2. Dreams of glory and narcissistic rage; 3. Great expectations; 4. Daughters of destiny I - Indira Gandhi; 5. Daughters of destiny II - Benazir Bhutto; 6. Narcissism and the charismatic leader-follower relationship; 7. Self objects: the special role of wives and the inner circle; 8. Narcissism, entitlement, sex, and power; 9. An exceptional exception: the rise and fall of Italy's Silvio Berlusconi; 10. Phallic narcissism in the governor's mansion; 11. The impact of illness and age on narcissistic leaders; 12. Seeking immortality: dictators and their progeny; 13. Leaders by default: second-choice sons; Conclusion.
This book analyzes narcissism and politics and systematically explores the psychology of narcissism.
Dr Jerrold M. Post is Professor of Psychiatry, Political Psychology and International Affairs and director of the Political Psychology Program at George Washington University, Washington DC. Dr Post previously worked with the Central Intelligence Agency, where he was the founding director of the Center for the Analysis of Personality and Political Behavior. He played the lead role in developing the Camp David profiles of Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat for President Jimmy Carter and initiated the US government program for the study of the psychology of terrorism. In recognition of his leadership at the center, Dr Post was awarded the Intelligence Medal of Merit in 1979. He received the Nevitt Sanford Award from the International Society of Political Psychology in 2002 for distinguished professional contributions to political psychology. He has testified before the Senate and the House on his political psychology profile of Saddam Hussein and on the psychology of terrorism, and he has presented to the UN International Atomic Energy Agency on the psychology of weapons-of-mass-destruction terrorism. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences' Committee on Deterrence in the 21st Century.
'Post is a pioneer in the field of political-personality
profiling.' Jane Mayer, writer for The New Yorker
'In Narcissism and Politics: Dreams of Glory, Jerrold Post
skilfully knits together in-depth knowledge of psychoanalytic
studies of the vicissitudes of self-esteem and the life stories of
prominent people. An exceptional value of Post's treatment is the
balanced view he presents of the adaptive or maladaptive aspects of
narcissism and their benevolent or destructive influences on human
development and leadership success. And a great plus for the reader
is the stories - well told of example after example. The result is
a book highly recommended to both a professional and a general
readership.' Joseph D. Lichtenberg, Founder and Director Emeritus,
Institute of Contemporary Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis
'Few scholars combine the clinical training, theoretical depth, and
policy experience necessary to analyze the pervasive role of
narcissism in political life. Jerrold Post does. If you read just
one book on the subject, it should be his.' Stanley Renshon, City
University of New York
'Humans need narcissism, self-love, like they need bread and water.
Some people, for personal reasons, exaggerate their narcissistic
needs. In this book, Jerrold M. Post, who has spent decades
analyzing the personality of political and military leaders with
exaggerated and even malignant narcissism, illustrates the
significance of his work for understanding leader-follower
relationships and world affairs. This is a most fascinating and
informative book on this topic.' Vamık Volkan, author of Enemies on
the Couch: A Psychopolitical Journey through War and Peace
'Jerrold M. Post is an authority in the field of political
profiling and in this book he presents an overview of narcissism in
politics. … this book remains a must-read for everyone who is
interested in a different view on international politics. Post
is a pioneer and proves in this book that he still has a lot to
contribute to the field of political psychology.' Annelien van
Remoortere, Politics, Culture and Socialization
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