Head teachers’ leadership for social justice and inclusion

Abstract

This article is concerned with exploring the ways in which head teachers’ leadership for social justice is understood and enacted within the context of inclusion. Head teachers’ leadership praxis is influenced by individual understandings of social justice, as well as dominant institutional realities and policy priorities that indicate the extent to which there is commitment to the process of socially just change. This commitment is significantly manifested in the ways in which an educational system advances new forms of professionalism, effectiveness indicators and accountability regimes that are aligned with concerns about providing socially just and non-discriminatory learning communities for learner diversity.

Keywords:

• head teachers
• leadership
• social justice
• inclusion

Notes on contributors

Anastasia Liasidou is Assistant Professor of Inclusive Education at European University, Cyprus, and former Senior Lecturer of Inclusive Practice and Education at the University of Roehampton, London, UK. Her book ‘Inclusive Education, Politics and Policymaking’ was published by Continuum in February 2012 while her book ‘Inclusive Education and the issue of Change: Theory, Policy and Pedagogy’ will be published by Palgrave McMillan in June 2015.

Androniki Antoniou is a PhD European University Cyprus (Department of Education).