Leading the multicultural school: Some insights from dedicated school leaders

Perturbed by a racially motivated homicide in his homeland and a more recent murder (under investigation at the time of writing) in the United States, the author makes a strong case in favour of Social Justice Educational Leadership. The exploratory investigation examined the following questions: (1) What leadership processes are school leaders adopting to ensure equity and social justice in multicultural schools? (2) What strategies are school leaders providing their staff to continue supporting quality education for all students, irrespective of cultural background? The research sought to extend the debate between educational leadership processes and the ongoing quest towards social justice as embodied in schools in Malta. A qualitative approach emanating from literature review on critical multicultural education was used in the study. Three school leaders known for their stance on issues of race, prejudice, discrimination, oppression, and marginalisation offer their valuable insights on leadership practices inundated with successful processes leading towards more socially just schools. Findings advocate for a wider discussion on the possibilities for effectively addressing the challenges of leading and managing the multicultural school, based on justice and equity principles.

One of Us: On the Role of Accent and Race in Real-Time In-Group Categorization

In the present research, we investigated the combined role of accent (native vs. nonnative) and race (European native or White vs. nonnative or Black) in real-time in-group categorization among Italian participants. We found that targets presenting mixed cues (i.e., Black persons with a native accent and White persons with a nonnative accent) led to the simultaneous and parallel activation of in-group and out-group representation in the early stage of person perception, showing that both accent and appearance were initially processed. However, later in the process, when accent and appearance did not match, the first played a major role in the participants’ construal of the target as “one of us.” Finally, we examined the role of social identification, beliefs on the importance of language and race, prejudice, social dominance, and contacts with first-generation Italians in the categorization process. Theoretical and applied implications of the findings are discussed.

To Save the Union “in Behalf of Conservative Men”

Horatio Seymour was the Civil War’s most successful Democrat, securing the governorship of New York in 1862. This chapter analyses his election as a means to reconsider the record of the Democratic Party during the Civil War. Republicans at the time constantly questioned the loyalty of their partisan opponents. Scholarly discussion ever since has tended to reflect this, with historians explaining Democratic victories as the result of people voting against Republicans rather than for Democrats, who supposedly relied on race prejudice and antiwar sentiment to secure votes. I argue that Seymour offered an alternative vision of the Union war that Democrats and many swing voters deliberately endorsed. Reevaluating Seymour’s campaign on its own terms provides a clearer explanation of what the Union war meant for Democrats and why their party continued to receive support from upwards of 45 percent of the northern electorate during the conflict.