Woven in Deeply: Identity and Leadership of Urban Social Justice Principals
Abstract
This article comes from an investigation into the identities and leadership traits of seven urban school principals committed to social justice across elementary, middle, and high school levels. These administrators believed that enacting social justice for marginalized students was instrumental in their desire to become school leaders and central to their practice. A qualitative approach combined with principles of autoethnography has guided the research methods. Findings include varied personal experiences that sound their call to leadership and three common leadership traits. These traits are arrogant humility, passionate leadership, and a tenacious commitment to social justice. The article concludes with a metaphor explaining these leaders and their connection with their social justice work.
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1.
1. Although I included myself in this study, I write in the third person and use pseudonyms for all participants including myself. I do this because using the first person or my real name would make an unnecessary shift of emphasis to my experience over the experiences of the other leaders. I recognize that in using the third person and a pseudonym, I move away from autoethnography, which is why I describe this as borrowing from the principles of autoethnography and not a true autoethnography.
2.
2. A detailed description of the methods of this study can be found in Theoharis (2004, 2007).
3.
3. These principals are described in other scholarly works (Theoharis, 2004, 2007). The descriptions of these principals in this article contain similar information as the descriptions in these other publications.
4.
4. It is important to note that many scholars with whom I have shared these findings feel that arrogance appears to be more accurately described as intense confidence. However, during a group debriefing of this study with the principals, they preferred the phrase arrogant humility over confident humility and felt is resonated authentically with their understanding of their identities. Thus, I defer to their preference.
5.
5. The significant resistance these principals faced as well as the toll it took on them are documented in Theoharis (2007, 2005a).
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Article first published online: May 6, 2008
Issue published: November 2008
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