Race, Ethnicity, and Leadership Pressures in Neoliberal Times

Abstract

Institutional racism is usually defined in terms of the “collective failure of an organization to provide an appropriate and professional service to people because of their color, culture, or ethnic origin.” However, my analysis of leadership theories in the educational context, and the policies and practices in developing leaders of educational settings, as well as the management of educational provision in a locality, would evidence that “collective failure” masks the design that is present in the current educational context of England. This chapter is based on original research, which utilizes Critical Race Theory and a mixed methods approach. My research data evidences that discrimination on an individual, institutional, and structural level is prevalent in the leadership of children's learning. The extent of under-representation in leadership can only be explained in that it is designed. Policies that further deregulate and fragment the provision of education through schools and allied support structures only exacerbate this situation and therefore maintain White male supremacy in the leadership of children's learning.

Citation

Vieler-Porter, C.G. (2022), "Race, Ethnicity, and Leadership Pressures in Neoliberal Times", Chitpin, S. and White, R.E. (Ed.) Leading under Pressure (Transforming Education Through Critical Leadership, Policy and Practice), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 41-50. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-80117-358-220221004