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The post-truth moment comes at a time of deference for epistemic authority, which has serious implications for democracy. If democracy implies an epistemology, attempting to live a democratic way of life implies a theory about the nature of knowledge among other theoretical aspects (e.g. political and ethical). At the time of ‘fluid modernity’, the post-truth politics of renouncing truth damages the foundations of democracy, for how could we proceed with a democratic way of life without truth as a common denominator for deliberation? While a defining feature of the post-truth era is its intrinsic relativism, Gellner (2013) warns this could lead to ‘cognitive nihilism’. Thus, it is imperative to (i) find our way back to reasonableness (based on both reason and emotions) based on a Freirean dialogic middle ground, instead of renouncing truth (that is any notion of truth), and (ii) critically discuss possibilities for various approaches to truth-seeking. While it is important to question the foundation and reasonableness of truth, two crucial issues arise: which theory of knowledge and whose theory of knowledge should be accepted as the epistemological basis of truth? Moreover, this chapter will argue that a more plausible notion of truth is neither one that is based on intrinsic objectivity nor intrinsic relativism, but one that is based on the relationship between objectivity and subjectivity; that is a relational (nor relative) and dialectic understanding of truth which does not rule out the existence of facts but questions the political constructs of facts. The final section of the chapter focuses on the application of the understanding of truth as a relational dialogical epistemology. While arguing for a dialogical theory of truth, the chapter also problematizes the predominant view of evidence-based research and policy and offers an in-depth discussion of how our understanding of the relational dialogical notion of truth can be utilized in the analysis of cases involving pro-active discrimination and affirmative action.

Research confirms that leaders continue to struggle in earning followers’ trust, commitment, and organizational citizenship. The purpose of this paper is to explain the importance of the relationship between leader and followers as a covenant and to identify five roles of the leader that are necessary to be effective in creating the required relationship with followers to earn their trust in an increasingly competitive and complex market.

The approach of this paper is to present a summary of the nature of psychological contracts and to identify seven testable propositions about covenantal leadership and its ability to build trust and honor duties implied in psychological contracts of employees.

The authors explain how the five roles of the covenantal leader increase trust and examine each of these roles in identifying the importance of covenantal leadership in serving the modern leader.

This research reaffirms the importance of leaders understanding the often unarticulated perceptions of their employees in imposing moral duties and obligations on leaders and organizations.

The practical value of this paper lies in its insights about the importance of leaders understanding and honoring implied as well as stated duties, and in recognizing employee perceptions about their needs and the often unaddressed obligations of leaders and organizations.

The underlying assumptions of this paper are that leaders who seek to create greater commitment and higher performance can do so by seeking out, understanding, and honoring the implicit and explicit assumptions and expectations of their employees.

Covenantal leadership is a relatively new leadership model introduced by Moses Pava (2003) and the five roles of covenantal leadership have rarely been addressed as a leadership perspective in the scholarly and practitioner literature.

One′s mindscape of educational administration as a field of study and practice determines the kind and worth of knowledge that emerges and its use in practice. Mindscapes of the “Neats” and the “Scruffies” are contrasted and evaluated for goodness of fit to the realities of practice. Concluding that the mindscape of the Scruffies fits better, implications are drawn for preparing school administrators and for enhancing critical reflection. Four levels of reflective practice are identified for attention and a model for informing professional practice comprising antecedents, theories of practice and professional practice episodes is presented.

Experts respond to the same incentives as people in other areas of human action, and in the same ways. This insight is a truism: Experts are ordinary people, not otherworld creatures. The disciplined pursuit of this common sense observation helps us to reach conclusions about experts that might be surprising or counterintuitive.

The purpose of this paper is to identify the practical value and leadership applications of the 12 virtues of the Lakota (Sioux) nation and their importance for ethical leaders in the modern world.

This paper describes and briefly summarizes each of the 12 Lakota virtues and presents parallel insights from the leadership literature in summarizing the ethically-related nature of the Lakota virtues.

The paper demonstrates that scholars in leadership affirm that the Lakota virtues have parallel scholarly support as important factors in ethical leadership.

The paper affirms the importance of virtue-based leadership principles as a useful approach for modern leaders and demonstrates the wisdom and practical value of traditional Lakota perspectives. The opportunity to focus on the importance of virtue-based ethical leadership is reinforced.

Today’s current and would-be leaders can benefit by comparing their own perspectives about leadership with the 12 Lakota virtues. By examining their own behaviors and comparing them with the Lakota virtues, leaders and those who wish to lead can increase their understanding of the value of these virtues in the leader-follower relationship.

The Lakota (Sioux) nation represents a noble people who were feared and respected. As Native Americans, the virtues of the Lakota nation greatly influenced the culture of this once great community of people, and the virtues that guided them and that continue to influence them today have practical value for modern society.

Little has been written in the management literature about the practical application of Native American virtues and values and the opportunity to revisit the implications of the Lakota virtues adds to the leadership literature and provides insights about this people.

When this conference was first discussed, it was agreed, I think, that no fundamental decisions for action should be taken at its close, but I do suggest that it might be a good idea if there were a theme. I suggest that a good theme is the word ‘accuracy’.

This paper aims to examine the relationships between meaning and truth as they may contribute to a constitutive definition of information. The thesis is primarily that “information” cannot be defined unless within the context of meaning and truth, and that any theory based on, or related to, information is not possible without the foundational definition.

A review of related literatures and an arrangement of frameworks forms the design of this conceptual proposal.

While other definitions of information have been presented, the present one integrates meaning and truth in ways that others do not. The thoroughgoing semantic examination provides a starting‐point for a much deeper analysis of the integral role that language plays in the formation of any theory related to information. Truth tends not to be spoken of a great deal in information science; the definitional positioning of truth adds to a more complete definition and basis for theory.

This paper proposes a new definitional and theoretical construct for information.

The world's most popular noncommercial website is built on five pillars, which include an assumption of good faith and ensuring all points of view are included in every encyclopedia article. How does this pan out in the day-to-day reality of fake news and the ever-growing climate of post-truth? How apt are mechanisms established by Wikipedia over a decade ago in the face of unreliable news sources and beliefs based on gut feelings and emotions rather than verifiable evidence? Active editors of Wikipedia firmly believe that this open online encyclopedia and other wikis operating under the same value system are lifeboats for truth seekers in a post-truth society. The mechanisms established over many years for sharing open knowledge through this online platform are even more useful now than they may have been in previous times, even though this too is understandably debatable.