Global Women Leaders is an important first step in developing our understanding of how female leaders use language and rhetoric to enhance their political authority and influence within different cultural, religious, and historical contexts. The authors of this collection address an important gap in the literature by bringing together feminist scholarship with leadership studies and rhetorical discourse analysis to examine a range of women leaders from the United Kingdom to Kenya to those operating at regional and global levels. This convergence of approaches is increasingly critical as more and more women rise to leadership positions and strategically use language to empower themselves and the communities that they seek to represent. This volume should encourage more research on the agency of these powerful women and the political decisions that they make about using language as a leadership tool.

Natalie Hudson, University of Dayton

With its eclectic, global perspective, this collection of essays makes important contributions to our understanding of the intersections of gender, political rhetoric, and culture. Each chapter offers a compelling portrait of the rhetorical strategies and leadership styles employed by a diverse group of international women politicians and activists. It will appeal to students and scholars interested in understanding the public performances of women leaders from around the world.

Diane M. Blair, California State University, Fresno