A feminist postcolonial examination of female principals' experiences in South African secondary schools

Mestry, Raj; Schmidt, Michèle

doi:10.1080/09540253.2011.628926

Cited by 31 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…A second kind examined female approaches to leadership in Africa (e.g. Agezo and Hope, 2011;Dady, 2014;Grant, 2005;Kwadzo, 2010;Lumby, 2013;Lumby and Azaola, 2014;Mestry and Schmidt, 2012;Mogadime et al, 2010;Naidoo and Perumal, 2014;Smit, 2013;Wambura, 2010;Zikhali and Perumal, 2016). This latter body of studies has relied almost exclusively on qualitative methods and could benefit from an increased application of mixed methods designs.…”

Section: Research Topicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Surfacing a hidden literature

Hallinger¹

2017

Educational Management Administration & Leadership

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Scholars throughout the world are working to diversify the knowledge base in educational leadership and management (EDLM). In concert with this effort, this article reports the results of a systematic review of research on EDLM in Africa. The goals of the review were to describe trends with respect to the volume of journal publications, national sources, research designs, methods, topics, authors and citation impact. The review database was comprised of 506 journal articles published on EDLM in Africa. A conceptual framework was used to organize the review, consisting of context and personal antecedents, leadership/management, teachers and school, and school outcomes. Systematic methods were employed to identify sources and extract data from the articles. Data analysis relied on quantitative synthesis aimed at identifying trends within Africa as a region, across its composite societies, and in change over time. The review found a surprisingly large literature, 90% of which had been published since 2005. This impression of an ‘emerging literature’ was reinforced by other trends, which bore a striking resemblance to features of the American literature in the 1970s and Asia post-2000. Recommendations are made for topics and methods as well as areas where capacity development is warranted.

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Section: Research Topicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Surfacing a hidden literature

Hallinger¹

2017

Educational Management Administration & Leadership

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“…Postcolonial feminists are critical of Western forms of feminism and argue that cultures impacted by colonialism are different and should be treated as such. Any feminist approach must be mindful of women's unique contexts [25]. Female principals in developing or first world countries who are struggling with their leadership roles will benefit from the findings of this study.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Experiences of Female Principals in the Gauteng Province

Schmidt

Mestry

2015

EDUCATION

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Gender bias towards South African female principals remains a problem and compelling issue. The South African Constitution addresses gender equality, yet women still do not experience equal rights in practice. Using a theory of intersectionality, this study highlights the experiences of three Coloured South African female principals and how they negotiated various challenges and obstacles that they were faced with in their day-to-day running of their schools. Using openended questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, it was found that the principals' strong upbringing and family support, and sound educational background paved the way for them to become effective leaders despite numerous challenges. The results provide a significant contribution to the small body of literature employing intersectionality theory as well as the literature around female principals' experiences in South Africa. Sub-intersectional themes emerged providing a deeper understanding of their experiences, challenges and successes. These contextual themes examine the impact of social networks that include family and friends as well as professionally and types of discrimination and stereotyping on their experiences as principals.

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“…Using practices associated with transformational leadership (Nguni et al , 2006; Singh and Lokotsch, 2005; Smit, 2014), they were able to build trust by acknowledging and building on individual differences among teachers rather than enforcing a “one size fits all” approach to leadership and policy implementation (Wadesango and Karima, 2016). This contrasts, again with the reliance on patriarchal values, unitary decision-making and formal authority reportedly used by male education leaders in this and other African societies (Hlatywayo et al , 2014; Makura, 2012; Matope, 2012; Mestry and Schmidt, 2012; Morojele et al , 2013; Steyn and Parsaloi, 2014).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 76%

“…As has been described in other African societies (e.g. Kwadzo, 2010; Mestry and Schmidt, 2012; Panigrahi, 2013; Parsaloi and Steyn, 2013), the female leaders described in these reports were intent on reducing the negative effects associated with rigid hierarchies that institutionalize sociocultural values of inequality (e.g. Chabaya et al , 2009; Wadesango and Karima, 2016; Zikhai and Perumal, 2014b).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 81%

“…This broad approach to relational leadership finds support in both the African (e.g. Grant, 2005; Kwadzo, 2010; Lumby and Azaola, 2014; Mestry and Schmidt, 2012; Morojele et al , 2013; Moyo and Perumal, 2019, 2020; Smit, 2014; Steyn and Parsaloi, 2014) and international literatures on educational leadership (Blackmore, 2009; Collard, 2001; Cubillo and Brown, 2003; Eagly et al , 1992; Krüger, 2008; Louis et al , 2016; Regan and Brooks, 1995; Riley and Louis, 2000). More specifically, scholars have concluded that collegial leadership approaches yield promising results for change (Louis et al , 2016; Nguni et al , 2006; Regan and Brooks, 1995; Riley and Louis, 2000).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Struggling to make a difference against the odds: a synthesis of qualitative research on women leading schools in Zimbabwe

Moyo

Perumal

Hallinger

2020

IJEM

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PurposeThis paper reports on results of a systematic research synthesis of 25 studies on women in educational leadership and management in Zimbabwe. The aim of this systematic review of research was to report conclusions drawn from a synthesis of findings from studies of gender and educational leadership in Zimbabwe.Design/methodology/approachThe review used systematic methods to identify 25 research studies that examined women leading schools in Zimbabwe. Research synthesis methods used for qualitative research studies were employed in order to identify three broad themes and related subthemes across the studies.FindingsThe review identified three themes: (1) barriers to women gaining access to management positions, (2) female ways of leading, (3) context challenges for women leaders. Both barriers to gaining positions and context challenges faced in enactment of the leadership role are described. These consist of an intertwined web of personal, institutional and cultural challenges. Women's ways of leading were characterized as collegial, collaborative and caring.Research limitations/implicationsThree implications are identified. First is a need for better statistical information on gender representation in Zimbabwe and other African countries. Second is a need to design and implement training, mentoring and networking support programs for female leaders in Zimbabwe. Finally, the authors recommend that future research move toward the use of mixed methods research designs capable of achieving complementary research goals of gaining a broad perspective on the effects of female leadership and in-depth understanding of how those are achieved.Originality/valueEmpirical studies of female leadership is especially urgent in Africa where particular features embedded in the cultural context shape female access to leadership role and attitude towards efforts of women to lead.

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A feminist postcolonial examination of female principals' experiences in South African secondary schools

Cited by 31 publications

References 15 publications

Surfacing a hidden literature

Surfacing a hidden literature

The Experiences of Female Principals in the Gauteng Province

Struggling to make a difference against the odds: a synthesis of qualitative research on women leading schools in Zimbabwe

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