The Shining Path, or Sendero Luminoso, is peculiar among Latin American revolutions for a multitude of reasons, ranging from the intensity of its violent tactics to the group’s muddled Maoist ideology. Analyses of the group tend to label it a mystery or an enigma. The purpose of this thesis is to offer the charismatic nature of the authority wielded by Abimael Guzmán, the energetic leader of the group also known as Presidente Gonzalo, as an explanation for some of the Shining Path’s idiosyncrasies, particularly their relentlessly bloodthirsty rise and sharp decline. Although much of the previous literature on the Shining Path uses the word “charismatic” to describe Guzmán, very little work has analyzed the particular implications of the successful creation of a charismatic leader-follower dynamic as a key part of senderismo. Using the framework established by German sociologist Max Weber, this paper analyzes a number of major characteristics of charismatic leaders and applies them to Guzmán. Not only did he exhibit many of the typical features of a charismatic leader, but it may have been is successful development of this particular style of authority which led to both the bloodthirstiness of Sendero’s military arm and the group’s struggle to find an identity after Guzmán’s capture. The Shining Path followed the power arc expected of a charismatic leader-follower relationship, allowing Guzmán to exploit the peasant population to create chaos and fear in the Andes in his effort to bring about a “popular revolution.” The purpose of this paper is not to discredit other theories regarding Sendero, as it was largely a sui generis movement, but to argue several of its particular qualities can be attributed to the charismatic nature of Presidente Gonzalo’s authority.
An interview with Clyde Parker, Technical Director of ASU's Gammage Auditorium. Clyde describes his coming to ASU in 1961 as a Education major and beginning as a stage hand at Gammage Auditorium when it opened in 1964. He went on to become Technical Director. He describes memorable events at the Auditorium and on the campus. The interview was conducted by Colleen Jennings Roggensack, Executive Director for ASU Gammage and Associate Vice President Cultural Affairs for ASU.
Mathew Betz joined ASU in 1961 as a member of the Civil Engineering Department but he spent much of his career in the Provost's Office. Matt was instrumental in the acquiring and early planning of ASU Polytechnic campus. The interview covers Betz's early life in Chicago area, college at Cal Tech and Northwestern majoring in the new field of Transportation Engineering. Early travels to Africa and the Sudan. Teaching career starts at ASU in 1961. Description of ASU Engineering in early days. Project work in Sudan. Assistant Dean in the Graduate College. Teaching/living in Kenya. Evaluating Graduate Programs. Working in Academic V.P.s office to evaluate (Regents directive) all programs. Computerizing the Registrar's Office. Developing the ADOT Transportation Research Center. Creating the Office of Strategic Planning. Vice President of Planning and Budgeting. Offers insight into the past and future of education in Arizona. He served many years on the ASU Retirees Board including President. He suggested and implemented the ASURA Video History Project.
Doug Anderson came to ASU in the summer of 1979 and joined the newly formed College of Public Programs. He left ASU as the Director of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Important ASU stories include:
1) the birth of the COLLEGE OF PUBLIC PROGRAMS,
2) the Tempe Campus SIZE and working ENVIRONMENT in 1979.
3) the naming of the WALTER CRONKITE School of Journalism and Mass Communications, and
4) the importance of the 1987 accreditation as a turning point for the School of Journalism and Mass Communications
Louis Weschler was a Professor of Public Programs.
Interview with Val Peterson, retired Director for Facility Management at ASU from 1988 till 2000.