Women political leaders in pandemic times: comparing Jacinda Ardern’ and Donald Trump’s representation of the COVID-19 crisis
Research Article
Acknowledgments
The essay is based on a Research Project of National Interest (PRIN2017) funded by the Italian Ministry of University and Research, carried out by Tuscia University’s research unit, coordinated by Prof. Flaminia Saccà, within a wider national research network “The Transformations of Democracy: Actors, Strategies and Outcomes in Opposing Populism in Political, Juridical and Social Arenas”, coordinated by prof. Carlo Ruzza (University of Trento).
How to Cite
Saccà F., Selva D. Women political leaders in pandemic times: comparing Jacinda Ardern’ and Donald Trump’s representation of the COVID-19 crisis. Science. Culture. Society. 2021. Vol. 27. No. 2. P. 8-21. DOI: https://doi.org/10.19181/nko.2021.27.2.1
Abstract
In the context of the Covid-19 meta-crisis, leadership styles have emerged as a key factor for determining a country’s ability to contain the contagion and recover. In what follows, we want to explore the features of such leadership styles by taking a gender perspective. This article argues that women leaders have successfully governed the crises originated by the pandemic not only because of their inherent ability to build relationships, enhance community bonds, and “tune” with the anxieties of citizens; the women leaders’ approach to science has proven to be decisive as well. Contrarily to common-sense expectations, when compared with men leaders, women have demonstrated to be more responsive and attentive to scientific advice, and to use their understanding of science as a factor of legitimacy. Our data are based on a wider research project granted by the Italian Ministry of Research and coordinated by prof. Saccà. We have analyzed the discourses of two case studies, Donald Trump and Jacinda Ardern, as they identify ideal-typical features of two opposing leadership styles as far as science is concerned. The analysis of rhetorical formulas and frames highlight the differences in their discourses and approaches and proves how the women leaders’ ability of listening to experts’ advice and the needs of specific sectors of the population has been decisive for the success of the measures of containment of the virus.
Keywords:
women leaders, communication, Covid-19, science, politics
References
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27. Wilson, S. (2020). Pandemic leadership: Lessons from New Zealand’s approach to COVID-19. Leadership, 16(3), 279–293. https://doi.org/10.1177/1742715020929151.
2. Saccà, F. (2020). La politica come professione 2.0: Leadership e campagne elettorali all’epoca dei social network. Sociologia, N 1, Pp. 5–17.
3. Weber, M. (1922). Wissenschaft als Beruf, Politik als Beruf (English ed. 2020, Charisma and disenchantment: The vocation lectures, New York: New York Review Books).
4. Goffman, E. (1956). The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life (Italian ed. 1969, La vita quotidiana come rappresentazione, Bologna: Il Mulino).
5. Nichols, N. A. (1996). Reach for the top: Women and the changing facts of work life. Brighton, MS: Harvard Business School Press.
6. Foucault, M. (1976). Histoire de la sexualité: la volonté de savoir (Italian ed. 2013, Storia della sessualità, vol. 1, Milano: Feltrinelli).
7. Saccà, F. (2003). La società sessuale. Il controllo sociale della sessualità nelle organizzazioni umane. p. 1-128, MILANO:FrancoAngeli, ISBN: 9788846452917.
8. McDonagh, E. L. (2009). The motherless state: Women’s political leadership and American democracy. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
9. Jamieson, K. H. (1995). Beyond the double bind: Women and leadership. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
10. Campus, D. (2016). Women Political Leaders and the Media. London: Palgrave.
11. Teele, D. L., Kalla, J., & Rosenbluth, F. (2018). The Ties That Double Bind: Social Roles and Women’s Underrepresentation in Politics. American Political Science Review, 112(3), 525–541. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0003055418000217.
12. Burns, J. (1978). Leadership. New York: Harper & Row Publishers.
13. Zenger, J., & Folkman, J. (2020). Research: Women Are Better Leaders During a Crisis. Harvard Business Review, December 20, 2020. URL: https://u.to/z2tRGw (last request 20.03.2021).
14. Garikipati, S., & Kambhampati, U. (2020). Leading the Fight Against the Pandemic: Does Gender ‘Really’ Matter? SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3617953.
15. Charteris-Black, J. (2018). Analysing political speeches: Rhetoric, discourse and metaphor (2nd ed.). London: Palgrave.
16. Wodak, R. (2021). The politics of fear: What right-wing populist discourses mean (2nd ed.). London: SAGE.
17. Joosse, P. (2017). Max Weber’s Disciples: Theorizing the Charismatic Aristocracy. Sociological Theory, 35(4), 334–358. https://doi.org/10.1177/0735275117740402.
18. Massidda, L. (2020). La politica come rappresentazione. Il carattere della leadership populista nell’epoca dei social media. Sociologia, LIX(1), 18–30.
19. Saccà F, Massidda, L. (2018). Women and Politics in Populist Times. A Case Study: the 2018 Electoral Campaign. In: (a cura di): N. Velikaya (Executive Editor), A.A. Golaseeva, A.N. Moiseeva, Russian Revolutions and Women's Issue. Ideological Heritage, Political Transformations and New Social Practices. p. 85-110, Moscow: Kluch-S, ISBN: 978-5-6040535-6-0.
20. Wahl-Jorgensen, K. (2019). Emotions, media and politics. Cambridge: Polity Press.
21. Chamorro-Premuzic, T. (2020). "Are Women Better At Managing The Covid19 Pandemic?". Forbes. April 10, 2020. URL: https://u.to/aT5TGw (last request 20.03.2021).
22. Saccà F., L. Massidda (2018). Gender Discourse in a Populist Election Campaign. In: (a cura di): Saccà F., Democracy, Power and Territories. p. 30-47, MILANO:FrancoAngeli, ISBN: 9788891778536.
23. Hassan, J. & O'Grady, S. (2020). Female world leaders hailed voices of reason amid the coronavirus chaos. The Washington Post. April 20, 2020. URL: https://u.to/4kBTGw (last request 20.03.2021).
24. Kristof, N. (2020). What the Pandemic Reveals About the Male Ego. The New York Times, June 13, 2020. URL: https://u.to/MUFTGw (last request 20.03.2021).
25. Champoux-Paillé, L. & Croteau, A. (2020). The reason why female leaders are excelling at managing the coronavirus, World Economic Forum, May 18, 2020. URL: https://u.to/RkFTGw (last request 20.03.2021).
26. Henley, J., & Roy, E. A. (2020). Are Female Leaders More Successful at Managing the Coronavirus Crisis? The Guardian. April 25, 2020. URL: https://u.to/cEFTGw (last request 20.03.2021).
27. Wilson, S. (2020). Pandemic leadership: Lessons from New Zealand’s approach to COVID-19. Leadership, 16(3), 279–293. https://doi.org/10.1177/1742715020929151.
Article
Received: 28.04.2021
Accepted: 01.07.2021
Citation Formats
Other cite formats:
APA
Saccà, F., & Selva, D. (2021). Women political leaders in pandemic times: comparing Jacinda Ardern’ and Donald Trump’s representation of the COVID-19 crisis. Science. Culture. Society, 27(2), 8-21. https://doi.org/10.19181/nko.2021.27.2.1
Section
Sociology of Management
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