Page 122 - Educational Leadership in a Changing World

Antonios Kafa and Anita Trnavčević

understanding leadership beyond the aspects of management and prin-
cipalship and within the context of principalship have emerged as cru-
cial for reimagining leadership in this changing world. Based on the the-
matic aspects of the chapters, theoretical frameworks, empirical insights,
and lived experiences were presented to build more equitable, inclusive, and
humanizing leadership models. Educational leaders are navigating un-
charted waters and an increasingly complex environment, shaped by
societal inequality, emotional strain, policy accountability, and a global
call for inclusivity. Therefore, the time calls to rethink the educational
leadership field and support educational leaders across various educa-
tional sectors to lead successfully and effectively.
In such situations, there is often an attempt to find ‘the’ right model,
‘the’ right style, ‘the’ right ... This book emphasizes the contextual
and legal frameworks within which school leadership, principalship and
management are embedded. A methodological diversity has to address
nuances and allow for culturally bounded and context-sensitive inter-
pretations of empirical data. New old issues require new approaches
in practice, refocused research and changes in education policies. The
neoliberal approach did not provide the expected results in improv-
ing equity, inclusion, teacher well-being and students’ academic results.
Marketization-based policies and the ‘tyranny of choice’ (Salecl, 2011)
have not resulted in better education systems, as many authors argue.
Therefore, reconsidering the future of education will require a distance
from neoliberal politics and a closer movement towards the essence
of education. Schools must become student-centred again, and teach-
ers must be empowered and act autonomously. The teachers’ call for
‘protection’ from stakeholders’ demands requires more than only tech-
niques and skills. It calls for different education of future teachers and
professionalization of principalship.

What Have We Learned from the Chapters
of this Edited Volume?
Based on the perspective of rethinking the educational field and on
the contributions of this particular edited volume, we need to under-
stand the lessons learned to form specific implications and set the fu-
ture path for the field. The opening chapter by Fuentes and Camas Gar-
rido presents a compelling argument that educational leadership must
be grounded in emotionalintelligence,inclusivevalues, and ethicalconduct.
The chapter highlights the emotional labour of leadership, where empa-

122