Introduction: critical spirituality and religion in educational leadership

Abstract

This special issue is dedicated to Dr. Michael E. Dantley in recognition of his pioneering scholarship on critical spirituality in the field of educational leadership. Dr. Dantley published Faith-Based Leadership: Ancient Rhythms or New Management in QSE in January 2005. One could say that this special issue comes full circle, as each article is rooted in Dr. Dantley’s vision of spirituality facilitating a visioning process based on critique, possibility, and hope. Dantley’s positioning of critical spirituality at the center of radical school reform remains the mainstay of the field. He challenges us to “grapple with the realities of an esoteric or spiritual existence” and “to take as a priori the existence of the spiritual dimension of humankind and not to flippantly eschew its reality and influence.” The papers in this special issue would not be possible without Dantley’s groundbreaking scholarship.

Keywords:

• Critical spirituality
• educational leadership
• race
• religion
• faith

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Miriam D. Ezzani

Miriam D. Ezzani is an Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership in the College of Education at Texas Christian University. She studies culturally responsive leadership within the contexts of district and school reform and Islamic school leadership with a focus on race and faith. Prior to her work in higher education, she served in California public schools as a school leader, literacy coach, and teacher. She is an alumna of the University of Southern California, where she earned a doctorate in K-12 Educational Leadership.

Melanie C. Brooks

Melanie C. Brooks is a Senior Lecturer in Educational Leadership in the Faculty of Education at Monash University. Her areas of expertise include culturally responsive school leadership, religion, and conflict. At the centre of her work is an exploration of how school leaders are shaped by religion and equity dynamics in their schools and communities. She was a Fulbright Senior Scholar grant recipient to the Philippines and has conducted research in Southeast Asia, the United States, and Australia.