Leading Change
Observations on Cultural Leadership Through the Lens of United Nations Peacekeepers from Ecuador
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Sandra Dennis
This qualitative study took place with members of the Ecuadorian army. The purpose was to discover the leadership experiences the soldiers encountered while deployed to a United Nations Peackeeping Mission. The theoretical framework for the study was threefold. Hofstede’s Dimensions of Culture theory was utilized to uncover the dynamics of working on a peacekeeping mission where, on average, there are officers serving from 23 countries. Situational Leadership theory is commonly used in military contexts, including peacekeeping. Complexity Leadership theory recognizes the fact that missions are often chaotic, ambiguous, unpredictable, complex environments with inter-actor agencies. Twelve interviews were conducted with officers from seven different missions. Interviews were recorded, digitally transcribed by artificial intelligence, and then analyzed with qualitative data analysis software. The data received was organized into four main themes: 1) Upholding standards of training, 2) Multiple, diverse command and control practices, 3) A mission is a cultural exchange, and 4) Journey from conflict to peace. This paper covers the third theme on cultural practices and leadership. Officers related their experiences working with personnel from multiple countries and in an unfamiliar culture, often under hostile conditions. The role of UN peacekeepers has shifted from militaries in the global north to those in the global south. This demografic has rarely been heard from and this study gives voice to the personnel currently working in this sector. The results of the study have implications for organizational leadership and the findings inform those who work to support the officers, their families, and their militaries.
Laken Riley Act and Its Potential Impact on US Higher Education
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Ivan Nikolov
In this paper, I use a documentary research method to discuss details related to potential repercussions on the United States higher education of one of the most recent laws signed by President Trump. The Laken Riley Act, based on the killing of an American student by an illegal immigrant in 2024, was introduced on January 6, 2025, and signed by President Trump as a law on January 29, 2025. Given its emotional charge, it was passed with a substantial majority in both the House of Representatives (263:156) and in the Senate (64:35) The Act requires the Department of Homeland Security to arrest non-US nationals (aliens) who have committed a crime, including theft, burglary, but also shoplifting, over the amount of $100. In such cases said aliens can be deported based on admission of guilt without a court decision. The bill gives authority to state governments to sue federal agencies for immigration-related decisions, including but not limited to failures of the visa issuing federal agency to “fulfill requirements relating to inspecting individuals seeking admission into the United States...”. The law also limits the issuance of visas, including student visas to citizens of 13 countries, which refuse to accept their deported nationals, including China, India, Russia, and possibly Mexico. Considering that Indian students are almost 30 percent of the 1.1 million international student population in the US colleges and universities, followed by Chinese students, serious repercussions may be expected for US higher education, especially in the STEM-related graduate programs.
