Assembling the actors: exploring the challenges of ‘system leadership’ in education through Actor-Network Theory

Abstract

This paper presents insights into the leadership implications of recent shifts in a range of policy contexts towards notions of collaboration and partnership. The paper draws on empirical research into the formation and operation of government instituted networks in the context of education in Victoria, Australia. From 2001, School Networks and Local Learning and Employment Networks (LLEN) were implemented by the state government to support young people in their transition through school and into employment in a context of a risk society, a context where pathways into sustainable employment for young people, and others, had become more erratic. For comparative purposes, the paper also draws on published research into the implementation of joined-up approaches, including Primary Strategy Learning Networks (PSLN), in England. Using concepts from Actor-Network Theory (ANT), the paper argues for the value of considering the full range of actors – both human and non-human, real and unreal – involved in networking initiatives and proposes some thoughts on the implications of such a sociology of associations for both leadership and governance.

Keywords:

• Partnership
• networks
• collaboration
• leadership
• governance
• Actor-Network Theory

Acknowledgements

The author acknowledges the carefully considered and thought-provoking comments provided by the reviewers of the initial submission.

Notes

1. In this use, actant refers to the entity prior to its identification as a fully performing part of the network (Latour 1999a).

2. Other sociomaterial approaches would include complexity theories, spatial and temporality, and cultural historical activity theory (Fenwick, Edwards, and Sawchuk 2011).

3. I am using the hyphen in net-work to emphasize that ‘what is important in the word network is the word work’ (Latour 2004, 83, emphasis in original). Latour comments that he has ‘tried to play’ with the word ‘work-net’ but that ‘didn’t function very well’. Hence my use of ‘network’ throughout this paper.

4. See http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/principals/management/Pages/networks.aspx.