School Leadership Citizenship Education and Politics in China - Shuqin Xu Gebunden

This book examines and theorizes the dynamics and complexities of leadership in citizenship education in junior secondary schools in Shanghai China. Specifically it examines from a macro- and micro-political theoretical perspective the interactions between principals and school party secretaries (SPSs) and how they respond to the demands of macro- and micro-political actors. This qualitative empirical research found four major school leadership citizenship education scenarios in which principals and SPSs addressed the interests of different macro- and micro-political actors. Moreover princ ipals and SPSs enjoyed a complicated working relationship at the micro-political (school) level in which they collaborated to fulfill their responsibilities and respond to school macro- and micro-political actors while competing for power over leadership in citizenship education. Principals' and SPSs' leadership in citizenship education was shaped by inter-related factors including diverseinfluences in a multi-leveled world the integration of politics and education the demands of macro- and micro-political actors and personal factors. To interpret these findings this study proposes a theoretical framework for understanding leadership in citizenship education in China as a political exercise. This theoretical framework is useful for understanding the complexity of school and citizenship education leadership the micro-political relationship between Chinese principals and SPSs and their dynamic and complex interactions with macro- and micro-political actors.