Brent Edwin Cusher

Brent Edwin Cusher serves as Associate Professor and Department Chair in the Department of Leadership and American Studies at Christopher Newport University, where he teaches all Leadership Studies curriculum courses and Honors Program offerings from his office in Luter Hall 212A.

His academic foundation includes:

• Ph.D. in Political Theory from the University of Toronto (Ontario)
• B.A. in Political Science from Carleton College

Professor Cusher's research investigates Classical Models of Leadership, Statesmanship, Rhetoric and Persuasion, Leadership Ethics, Legal Philosophy, and Ancient and Modern Political Philosophy. His work examines leadership through historical and philosophical frameworks, analyzing figures like Pericles of Athens and texts including Plato's dialogues, while exploring ethical challenges of authenticity, deception, and foundational lawgiving in political systems.

His publication trajectory demonstrates deep engagement with classical political thought applied to modern leadership challenges, featuring analyses of Thucydides on Pericles, Plato on legislation, and Rousseau on persuasion. The 2021 monograph Philosophy and Leadership synthesizes three classical leadership models, while literary analyses of Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian reveal ethical dimensions of leadership through Judge Holden's characterization.