Biography
Nicole Peisajovich is a Ph.D. Candidate in Political Theory at Columbia University. She specializes in democratic theory and the history of political thought, with a particular focus on leadership and twentieth-century theories of democracy.
Her dissertation, The Puzzle of Leadership in Democratic Theory, examines the tension between democracy and leadership. Given that leadership entails a power inequality between those who follow and those who lead, and given that democracy promises the political equality of all citizens, can leadership ever be compatible with democracy? Can we distinguish between democratic and non-democratic forms of leadership? Ms. Peisajovich argues that none of the three major democratic traditions that emerged after World War II—the realist, the participatory, and the deliberative—can help solve the puzzle democratic leadership poses. Drawing on the theory and practice of democracy in ancient Athens, she proposes an alternative and more productive way of thinking about the role of leaders in a democratic setting.
Ms. Peisajovich holds an M.A. in Global Thought from Columbia University and a B.A. in Political Science from Universidad Torcuato Di Tella. Prior to joining Columbia, she worked in the public and nonprofit sectors in her home country, Argentina. More information about her work can be found on her website: nicolepeisajovich.com.
