Educational leadership for social justice in Costa Rica, Mexico, and Spain

2017 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 316-333 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia Silva ◽  
Charles L. Slater ◽  
Gema Lopez Gorosave ◽  
Victoria Cerdas ◽  
Nancy Torres ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
Costa Rica ◽  
Educational Opportunity ◽  
School Leaders ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Equal Educational Opportunity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
School Directors ◽  
Leadership For Social Justice ◽  
Distribution Of Resources

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of school leaders to provide social justice in three contexts: Costa Rica, Mexico, and Spain. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative study was conducted under the interpretative tradition characterized by a search for an understanding of the social world from the point of view of a school director from each of the three countries. Interviews were conducted to determine their views on social justice, the actions they took, and the obstacles they confronted. Findings The directors conceived of education as a right and believed in equal educational opportunity, and fair distribution of resources. They used a variety of methods to promote social justice, increase social cohesion, and provide emotional education. Obstacles came from educational authorities who tried to control rather than support their efforts. They were committed to working in schools with marginalized populations, but their efforts had taken a toll on their personal and professional lives. Research limitations/implications The research looked at just three principals whose experiences were unique to their context. However, the study has the advantage of looking at schools not typically included in educational research. Practical implications The work of these school directors underscores the need for preparation in skills, knowledge, and values to work for social justice. Originality/value The value of this research is to illuminate the narratives of school leaders. Working across borders can provide insights about the possibilities of change and strength to persevere.

Conceptualizing social justice: interviews with principals

2015 ◽  
Vol 53 (5) ◽  
pp. 667-681 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fei Wang
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
Open Space ◽  
School Principals ◽  
Leadership Roles ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Leadership For Social Justice ◽  
Qualitative Research Design ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
The Social ◽  
Research Findings

Purpose – Today, as the understanding of diversity is further expanded, the meaning of social justice becomes even more complicated, if not confusing. The purpose of this paper is to explore how school principals with social justice commitment understand and perceive social justice in their leadership practices. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative research design is used for this study. In total, 22 school principals in Ontario were interviewed. The interviews glean data on principals’ work context, their perceptions of social justice, and anecdotes, stories, and examples concerning social justice in their practices. Findings – The research findings draw attention to the central importance of awareness of the social injustices in schools – in structure, policy, and practices – and open space for debate on what can be considered as leadership for social justice. They also provide a useful starting point in exploring how leadership roles and practices can be improved to reverse injustices associated with the diversity of students based on race, socioeconomic status, gender, sexual orientation, and ability. Originality/value – What principals perceive may have a significant impact on the actions and practices for social justice. Therefore, it is important to gain insight into principals’ persecutions and perspectives on social justice as they may become norms and criteria that guide their actions.

Successful school leadership for social justice in Spain

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristina Moral Santaella
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Leadership Identity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Leadership For Social Justice ◽  
School Principalship ◽  
Successful School ◽  
Successful Principals

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to present the results obtained from the investigations that have been carried out within the International Successful School Principalship Project (ISSPP) project in the Spanish for social justice.Design/methodology/approachTwelve case studies have been carried out within the three lines of research proposed by ISSPP: successful principals, underperforming principals and principal leadership identity. All but one school were in challenging contexts. The methodological approach followed is based on multiple perspective case studies using a mixture of qualitative methods (interviews, focus groups and observations).FindingsResults show that successful principals not only believe in social justice through simple empathy with the concept of social justice, but also use strategies that combine transformational and instructional leadership processes and manage to reverse the bad situation of their disadvantaged schools, seeking excellence from equity. The leadership identity of successful principals is characterized to look to the future with hope, adopting a realistic utopian attitude to interpret their surrounding reality.Originality/valueFrom the case studies carried out, valuable information is obtained, which helps to understand the possibilities of implementing the ISSPP successful school leadership model in heterogeneous and disadvantaged context for equity and social justice.

How do principals practise leadership for social justice in diverse school settings? A Hong Kong case study

2018 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 50-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elson Szeto ◽  
Annie Yan Ni Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
Leadership Strategies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
School Communities ◽  
Leadership For Social Justice ◽  
Diverse Student ◽  
Learning Development ◽  
Diverse Student Population

Purpose Empirical research on leadership for social justice is in progress in many parts of the world. The purpose of this paper is to explore principals’ school-leadership journeys in response to social-justice issues caused by specific contextual changes at times of uncertainty. It seeks to answer the following key questions: What social-justice issues do principals identify as arising from their schools’ transformation due to contextual changes? How do principals practise leadership for social justice in response to these contextual changes at different levels? Design/methodology/approach This paper is based on qualitative data from a cross-case study of two principals’ school-leadership journeys. The authors pay particular attention to the understanding of leadership for social justice grounded in principals’ efforts to foster equality in learning development for a diverse student population. Findings Timely adverse conditions may be required to foster leadership for social justice in schools. The principals reacted to contextual changes at several levels, planning and implementing innovative and flexible interventions to ensure equality in students’ learning development. These findings contribute to international accounts of educational leadership. Research limitations/implications This study of leadership for social justice in schools is contextually specific. Therefore, more empirical comparisons of school leadership are required in future studies, as principals’ practices vary between education settings. Originality/value This paper offers insights into the evolution of leadership for social justice in schools in response to contextual changes. Principals’ leadership strategies can be reoriented and their actions reshaped to overcome threats to social justice in schools. Accordingly, although leadership for social justice in school communities is culturally and pedagogically inclusive, it is also socially distinctive.

Social justice leadership, instructional leadership, and the goals of schooling

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-95
Author(s):  
Haim Shaked
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
Instructional Leadership ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
School Principals ◽  
School Leaders ◽  
Teaching Quality ◽  
Social Justice Leadership ◽  
Content Type ◽  
New Research ◽  
School Principalship

Purpose School principals should see themselves as social justice leaders, who have the ability to allow all students to succeed, regardless of their characteristics and backgrounds. At the same time, school principals are also called upon to demonstrate instructional leadership, which emphasizes the teaching and learning aspects of school principalship. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relations between these two roles of today’s school principals. Design/methodology/approach To investigate the relations between social justice leadership and instructional leadership, this paper adds the question of the goal of schooling to the mix. After identifying possible goals of schooling, the paper conceptualizes social justice leadership and instructional leadership, respectively, while also examining their relations with schools’ major goals. Possible commonalities and contradictions between social justice leadership and instructional leadership are discussed. Findings The prevalent expectation that school leaders should give top priority to ongoing improvement of teaching quality and academic outcomes may be seen as reducing school leaders’ involvement in some aspects of social justice leadership, such as nurturing students’ active citizenship. Research limitations/implications This paper opens new research avenues. Based on the findings of this paper, the connection between principals’ perceptions regarding the goals of schooling and their leadership behaviors should be explored. Practical implications It seems advisable to discuss the interplay between social justice leadership and instructional leadership with prospective and current principals, as well as with other school stakeholders. Originality/value Insofar as the relations between social justice leadership and instructional leadership have not been explored so far, this paper narrows a gap in the available knowledge.

Leveraging Policy Implementation for Social Justice: How School Leaders Shape Educational Opportunity When Implementing Policy for English Learners

2019 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-45
Author(s):  
Madeline Mavrogordato ◽  
Rachel S. White
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
Policy Implementation ◽  
English Learners ◽  
Focus Group Interview ◽  
Educational Opportunity ◽  
School Leaders ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Qualitative Case Studies ◽  
Marginalized Groups ◽  
Research Findings

Purpose: School leaders become arbiters of educational opportunity by shaping how policies are implemented within their buildings. Yet the role that school leaders play in enacting policies designed to expand equity for historically marginalized groups of students such as English learners (ELs) has received little attention in the research literature. This study examines the role that school leaders play in enabling or obstructing social justice by examining how leaders implement one policy, that which dictates the process of exiting students from EL status and reclassifying them as English proficient. Research Method: We conducted qualitative case studies of eight elementary schools across four districts in Texas, each of which included an observation of the year-end meetings when committees review EL students’ files and make reclassification decisions, as well as a semistructured focus group interview. Findings: School leaders both enable and obstruct practices that reflect social justice leadership while implementing reclassification policy, but lack awareness that they are doing so. Policy understanding and approach to implementation mediated the ways in which school leaders were able to leverage policy implementation to enable social justice and promote equity. Implications: We draw upon research findings to provide a framework for helping school leaders leverage policy implementation to enact social justice in their schools.

School leadership, social justice and immigration

2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 679-690 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey S. Brooks ◽  
Anthony H. Normore ◽  
Jane Wilkinson
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
Educational Leadership ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Research Paper ◽  
Theoretical Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Leadership For Social Justice

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore theoretical connections between educational leadership for social justice and support for immigration. The authors seek to identify strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for further study and improved practice. Design/methodology/approach This is a theoretical research paper that introduces, evaluates and expands two frameworks for understanding leadership and immigration. Findings Findings suggested that there is a need for educational leadership scholars to more purposefully investigate issues related to social justice and immigration. Originality/value This study offers a novel theoretical perspective on leadership, social justice and immigration.

Beyond neoliberal economics: the postulates of social justice in polish social economics

2015 ◽  
Vol 42 (9) ◽  
pp. 791-803 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ewa Bińczyk
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Social Economics ◽  
Capitalist System ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Neoliberal Ideology ◽  
Neoliberal Economics ◽  
Polish Economy ◽  
Text Content ◽  
The Way

Purpose – The paper surveys selected standpoints in the Polish humanities that are visibly critical toward neoliberal assumptions and claims of economics. The resources used in the text are: Andrzej Szahaj’s philosophical postulates and assertions; Tadeusz Kowalik’s view; criticism and postulates of social economics articulated by the quarterly magazine Nowy Obywatel (The New Citizen). The purpose of this paper is to construct a possibly cohesive picture of this type of criticism by indicating important similarities between the approaches mentioned above, its strongest arguments, philosophical premises and political inclinations. Design/methodology/approach – A conceptual synthesis and interpretation of theoretical standpoints and its philosophical premises, a comparative analysis of the text/content of the magazine (The New Citizen). Findings – Each of the three standpoints discussed in the paper proves to be an interesting example of social economics. It is also symptomatic that they share a similar, critical attitude toward the way in which the transformation of the Polish economy from a socialist to a capitalist system had been carried out. The transformation is thereby interpreted as a process that is not accomplished at all from the point of view of the ideals of social justice and integrity. Practical implications – The popularization of Polish normative views of economics taking into account the problem of social justice, and the possible transformation of the way in which economic problems are publicly understood in Poland. Originality/value – The discussion of non-standard interpretations of Polish transformation and its effects that undermine and challenge neoliberal ideology in economics.

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