Railroads, telegraphs, lithographs, photographs, and mass periodicals--the major technological advances of the 19th century seemed to diminish the space separating people from one another, creating new and apparently closer, albeit highly mediated, social relationships. Nowhere was this phenomenon more evident than in the relationship between celebrity and fan, leader and follower, the famous and the unknown. By mid-century, heroes and celebrities constituted a new and powerful social force, as innovations in print and visual media made it possible for ordinary people to identify with the famous; to feel they knew the hero, leader, or "star"; to imagine that public figures belonged to their private lives. This volume examines the origins and nature of modern mass media and the culture of celebrity and fame they helped to create. Crossing disciplines and national boundaries, the book focuses on arts celebrities (Sarah Bernhardt, Byron and Liszt); charismatic political figures (Napoleon and Wilhelm II); famous explorers (Stanley and Brazza); and celebrated fictional characters (Cyrano de Bergerac).

This selection from Max Weber's writings presents his variegated work from one central focus, the relationship between charisma on the one hand, and the process of institution building in the major fields of the social order such as politics, law, economy, and culture and religion on the other. That the concept of charisma is crucially important for understanding the processes of institution building is implicit in Weber's own writings, and the explication of this relationship is perhaps the most important challenge which Weber's work poses for modern sociology. Max Weber on Charisma and Institution Building is a volume in "The Heritage of Sociology," a series edited by Morris Janowitz. Other volumes deal with the writings of George Herbert Mead, William F. Ogburn, Louis Wirth, W. I. Thomas, Robert E. Park, and the Scottish Moralists—Adam Smith, David Hume, Adam Ferguson, and others.

The authority of charisma entails a "devotion to the exceptional sanctity, heroism, or exemplary character of an individual person." In the sociology of religion it has long been held that the authority of institutions is legitimated by their identification with charismatic personalities. However, in this book which examines the construction of St. Paul's public image, Anthony J. Blasi argues that charisma "comes as much from us as it is projected by the personages." It is a work of the collective imagination and a fulfillment of a social need. Thus, the charisma of St. Paul is shown to emerge as much or more from the dynamics of early Christianity's institutionalization as from the person of Paul. While acknowledging the importance of certain features of Paul's actual biography, the principle focus of the book is on how Paul became an important personality in Christian tradition in the decades immediately following his death. The ability of the charismatic personality to make acts and creeds religiously legitimate is usually thought of by sociologists as producing normative organizations such as churches, but here it is shown that Paul's charisma was consciously fostered and promoted by the incipient Christian church. The book is divided into segments that examine the social construction of charisma; the role of St. Luke in fashioning Paul's posthumous image; the 'traditions and legends that grew up around Paul after his death (including inauthentic "Pauline" letters written in his name); and the dynamics of constructing the image in the religious and historical context of the time. The author concludes with a reconsideration of what is meant by charisma and how it is created. This is one of the few studies which takes advantage of the methods of literary criticism to explore the social processes at work in early Christianity. "Making Charisma "will be of interest to sociologists of religion and a wide range of scholars interested in the history of religion.

A fascinating examination of technological utopianism and its complicated consequences. In The Charisma Machine, Morgan Ames chronicles the life and legacy of the One Laptop per Child project and explains why—despite its failures—the same utopian visions that inspired OLPC still motivate other projects trying to use technology to “disrupt” education and development. Announced in 2005 by MIT Media Lab cofounder Nicholas Negroponte, One Laptop per Child promised to transform the lives of children across the Global South with a small, sturdy, and cheap laptop computer, powered by a hand crank. In reality, the project fell short in many ways—starting with the hand crank, which never materialized. Yet the project remained charismatic to many who were captivated by its claims of access to educational opportunities previously out of reach. Behind its promises, OLPC, like many technology projects that make similarly grand claims, had a fundamentally flawed vision of who the computer was made for and what role technology should play in learning. Drawing on fifty years of history and a seven-month study of a model OLPC project in Paraguay, Ames reveals that the laptops were not only frustrating to use, easy to break, and hard to repair, they were designed for “technically precocious boys”—idealized younger versions of the developers themselves—rather than the children who were actually using them. The Charisma Machine offers a cautionary tale about the allure of technology hype and the problems that result when utopian dreams drive technology development.

What if charisma could be taught? The charisma myth is the idea that charisma is a fundamental, inborn quality—you either have it (Bill Clinton, Steve Jobs, Oprah) or you don’t. But that’s simply not true, as Olivia Fox Cabane reveals. Charismatic behaviors can be learned and perfected by anyone. Drawing on techniques she originally developed for Harvard and MIT, Cabane breaks charisma down into its components. Becoming more charismatic doesn’t mean transforming your fundamental personality. It’s about adopting a series of specific practices that fit in with the personality you already have. The Charisma Myth shows you how to become more influential, more persuasive, and more inspiring.

This provocative book challenges two of psychology's primary assumptions: 1) clients get better due to the power of techniques and 2) psychotherapy is a scientific discipline that functions in fundamental reality.

The Laws of Charisma explores the vital skills and traits needed to earn trust, generate interest, and motivate others in the workplace. Bestselling author Kurt Mortensen defines the intersection of these pivotal abilities as charisma--an enviable quality that can lead to improved relationships, greater income, and more success in every area of life. To some extent, charisma is innate, but in this inspiring guide Mortensen explores the trait’s four core elements to show how anyone can draw out a more charismatic and compelling presence. With the help of practical tools, simple principles, applicable exercises, and insightful assessments, you’ll learn how to radiate confidence, passion, power, and optimism; influence others by improving communication skills; and persuade and empower anyone by creating instant rapport. People with the ability to enter a room and draw instant attention, effortlessly exuding charm and radiating energy, are better able to influence what gets done and ultimately achieve what they want. The Laws of Charisma is packed with everything you need to develop and bring out the more charismatic person within.