City Sextons: Tales from Municipal Leaders (Routledge Research in Public Administration and Public Policy)

City sextons are a dying breed and in this book sextons from throughout the United States share their experiences as a city’s chief death expert. With a view to investigating their role in local governance processes, how they contribute to public engagement in cities, and what are some misconceptions about this role, Staci M. Zavattaro sheds light on unique public servants that are rarely – if at all – discussed in public administration research. Themes discussed include:

• background stories on each sexton interviewed;
• vignettes of their most interesting stories that can be used as case studies in public administration practice and teaching;
• public history functions;
• self-care strategies they use to deal with the stress of the position.

City Sextons: Tales from Municipal Leaders will be of key interest to scholars studying public management, emotional labor, and leadership.

Staci M. Zavattaro is Associate Professor of Public Administration with the School of Public Administration at the University of Central Florida. Her books include Cities for Sale, Place Branding Through Phases of the Image, and Social Media to Government: Theory and Practice (edited with Dr. Thomas Bryer). She serves as editor-in-chief of the international journal Administrative Theory & Praxis. Her work appears in journals such as Urban Studies, Public Administration Review, Journal of Place Management and Development, Administration & Society, and Tourism Management.