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Jaime Lee Kucinskas, "The Loyalty Trap: Conflicting Loyalties of Civil Servants Under Increasing Autocracy" (Columbia UP, 2025)

New Books in Sociology

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Navigating Chaos: Civil Servants in the Trump Era

This chapter examines the ethical dilemmas and loyalty conflicts faced by civil servants during the early Trump administration. By highlighting their varied responses to political changes, it reveals how bureaucrats managed the chaos of a disorganized transition and the internal struggle between serving elected officials and the public good. The nuanced concept of 'loyal dissent' is explored, showcasing different forms of resistance and the complexities of maintaining integrity in a tumultuous political environment.

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