Caring practices and social justice leadership: case studies of school principals in Scotland and USA

Forde, C. , Torrance, D. and Angelle, P. S. (2021) Caring practices and social justice leadership: case studies of school principals in Scotland and USA. School Leadership and Management, 41(3), pp. 211-228. (doi: 10.1080/13632434.2020.1866526)

Abstract

This article explores how headteachers/principals engage in social justice leadership practice using data gathered from the Scottish and American contributions to the International School Leadership Development Network’s (ISLDN) research on social justice leadership. While the literature focuses on high-level strategies to address issues of equity there is limited discussion of the day-to-day practice of social justice leadership. In fostering inclusive cultures, the day-to-day practice of headteachers/principals is critical in challenging low-level forms of discrimination, micro-aggressions, which create hostile environments for diverse groups of learners. The article considers the concept of ‘leadership practice’ by examining the notion of relational leadership to highlight the social processes of ‘organising activities’ of leadership. In this, we focus on caring practices and explore these through four case studies of headteachers/principals recognised for their social justice leadership. A framework of Noddings’ caring practices of modelling, dialogue and confirmation as relational organising activities, is used to begin to capture the day-to-day practice of social justice leadership.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Forde, Prof Christine and Torrance, Dr Deirdre
• Authors: Forde, C., Torrance, D., and Angelle, P. S.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Education; College of Social Sciences > School of Education > Educational Leadership & Policy
• Journal Name: School Leadership and Management
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis
• ISSN: 1363-2434
• ISSN (Online): 1364-2626
• Published Online: 18 February 2021
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2021 Taylor & Francis
• First Published: First published in School Leadership and Management 41(3):211-228
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher