Helen M. Gunter (University of Manchester, UK) and Steven J. Courtney (University of Manchester, UK)

What is the problem? How does the chapter support your thinking about the problem?

The key issue for this chapter is the relationship between socio-economic class and educational leadership. As we argue in the chapter, this issue can be approached from different angles. These range from the way in which educational leadership as a concept and set of practices may be classed (comprising and/or favouring features and dispositions more generally privileged in middle/upper-class environments and upbringings) through to access to such roles (those in the ‘top job’ may be more likely to be from a wealthier background). Furthermore, there is a lack of empirical research into this relationship: we simply do not know if any of this applies and so must look outside education for clues in cognate fields and in education-research studies where class was a feature, if not a focus. We also ask you in our chapter to bear in mind that socio-economic class rarely operates on its own, but is often one of numerous dimensions of disadvantage, e.g., race, gender, and disability.

What are other ways to think about this? Where can I go next to follow these up?

Beyond education

There are indications in fields beyond education that socio-economic class impacts on organisations and their leadership. For instance, here are some intellectual resources to get you started.

Ashley, L. and Empson, L. (2013). Differentiation and discrimination: Understanding social class and social exclusion in leading law firms. Human Relations, 66(2), 219–244.

This article addresses class-based access to a top profession, law, which is a pre-requisite to being able to lead within it. We invite you to reflect on similarities and differences between such law firms and, for instance, certain Higher Education Institutions.

Beyond sociology

Educational leadership as a field of study draws on a range of disciplinary influences. Our background is largely in sociology and political science, but we offer here a contribution from psychology.

Martin, S.R., Innis, B.D. and Ward, R.G. (2017). Social class, leaders and leadership: a critical review and suggestions for development. Current Opinion in Psychology, 18, 49–54.

As you read, think about how constructions of leadership between sociology and psychology are both similar and different from one another, and what that means for your analysis, assumptions and arguments.

Alternative ways of ‘doing’ educational leadership

We draw attention in the chapter to forms of ‘transformative’ leadership that are better equipped to dispense with the baggage of class, through focusing more explicitly on the common good. Start with these articles:

Blackmore, J. (2011) Leadership in pursuit of purpose: social, economic and political transformation. Counterpoints, 409, 21–36.

Gunter, H.M., and Courtney, S.J., (July 21, 2020). A new public educative leadership? Management in Education. Advance online publication. DOI: 10.1177/0892020620942506

Chapter 16. Gender and educational leadership, by Jane Wilkinson, Anar Purvee and Katrina MacDonald

Chapter 17. Sexual identity and educational leadership, by Catherine A. Lugg and Robin Roscigno

Chapter 18. Race and educational leadership, by Mark A. Gooden and Victoria Showunmi

Ways of understanding

Differing and inter-relating dimensions of difference, including class, are commonly described and explained through such methods and thinking tools as:

Narrative analysis; see, e.g.,

Squire, C., Andrews, M., Davis, M., Esin, C., Harrison, B., Hyden, L.C., and Hyden, M. (2014). What is Narrative Research? London: Bloomsbury.

Intersectionality; see, e.g.,

MacKinnon, C. A. (2013). Intersectionality as method: A note. Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society, 38(4), 1019–1030.

Haynes, C., Joseph, N.M., Patton, L.D., Stewart, S., Allen, E.L., (2020). Toward an understanding of intersectionality methodology: A 30-year literature synthesis of Black women’s experiences in Higher Education. Review of Educational Research, 90(6), 751–787.

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