Background
Barber, James David was born on July 31, 1930 in Charleston, West Virginia, United States. Son of Daniel Newman and Edith (Naismith) Barber.
("The presidential character: predicting performance in th...)
"The presidential character: predicting performance in the White House (4th Edition)" describes the stories of US presidents with interesting writing style. However, it is not a history book , for it is not intended to cover the presidents' past, but to predict what is going to happen based on what has taken place. The author believes that the individual personality, world view and political style can help us to predict their actions after they take office. Besides, the author explains and predicts a dozen presidents and potential candidates' behaviors.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7300203000/?tag=2022091-20
( James David Barber's research on leadership, particular...)
James David Barber's research on leadership, particularly the phenomenon of the American presidency, has become legendary for both its insight and wit. Politics by Humans presents some of this most original and seminal products of his scholarship.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0822308487/?tag=2022091-20
( Dr. James David Barber’s well-known, provocative exami...)
Dr. James David Barber’s well-known, provocative examination of who has the potential to be voted into the highest office in the land — and why — is being reissued as the newest addition to the “Longman Classics in Political Science” series. Arguing that patterns in a person’s character, world view, and style can allow us to anticipate their performance as president, The Presidential Character offers explanations and predictions of the performance of presidents and presidential candidates. Drawing on historical, biographical, and psychological research, Dr. Barber hoped to help voters make judicious choices in determining the country’s highest leaders. Revisiting this classic work in today’s important presidential election season begs a reconsideration of Barber’s probing and enduring query, “What should we look for in a president?"
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/020565259X/?tag=2022091-20
Barber, James David was born on July 31, 1930 in Charleston, West Virginia, United States. Son of Daniel Newman and Edith (Naismith) Barber.
Bachelor, University of Chicago, 1950; Master of Arts, University of Chicago, 1955; Doctor of Philosophy, Yale University, 1960.
From 1977 to 1995, he taught political science at Duke University. In the 1950s he served in the United States Army as a counter-intelligence agent before attending the University of Chicago, where he earned a master"s degree in political science. He joined the faculty at Duke University in 1972, and he became a fully fledged professor at that institute in 1977.
He devised a system of organizing a president"s character into either active-positive, passive-positive, active-negative, or passive-negative.
Traits of an active-positive president include: a readiness to act, high optimism, and an overall fondness of the presidency. Some examples of presidents Barber cites as active-positive include Franklin Doctorate. Roosevelt, Harry South. Truman, John F. Kennedy, Jimmy Carter, and Gerald Ford.
Traits of a passive-positive president include: a low self-esteem compensated by an ingratiating personality, superficially optimistic, and a desire to please. Examples of passive-positive presidents include William Howard Taft, Ronald Reagan, and Warren G. Harding.
Examples of active-negative presidents include Woodrow Wilson, Herbert Hoover, and Richard Nixon.
Traits of a passive-negative president include: a strong sense of duty, desire to avoid power, low self-esteem compensated by service towards others, and an overall aversion to intense political negotiation.
("The presidential character: predicting performance in th...)
( James David Barber's research on leadership, particular...)
( The author raises the reader's level of awareness by g...)
( Dr. James David Barber’s well-known, provocative exami...)
He is credited in the field of political science for being the first to examine presidents beyond case studies. Traits of an active-negative president include: lack of deriving joy after expending much effort on tasks, aggressive, highly rigid, and having a general view of power as a means to self-realization.
Member Charter Commission, Wallingford, Connecticut, 1959-1961, member Board Finance, 1960-1961. Chairman National Coalition for a Responsible Congress, 1970. Board dirs.Univs. National Anti-war Fund, 1970.
Board directors Amnesty International, United States of America, 1981-1985, chairman, 1984-1986. Board directors Center for Public Integrity, since 1990. Chair Committee to Rescue Liberian Children, since 1993.
Served with United States Army, 1953-1955. Member American Association of University Professors, American Political Science Association (county 1976-1977), Association to Unite the Democracies (board directors since 1992), National Association Scholars (board directors since 1991).
Married Amanda Joan Mackay Smith, November 25, 1972. Children: Sara Naismith, Jane Lewis, Luke David, Silas Higginson.