Transformative Leadership

This reader offers 24 chapters providing theoretical and empirical perspectives on transformative leadership in education, which is defined by editor Shields (dean, College of Education, Wayne State U.) as leadership that acknowledges power and privilege; articulates individual and collective purposes; deconstructs social-cultural knowledge frameworks that generate inequity and reconstructs them; balances critique and promise; effects deep and equitable change; works towards transformation that includes liberation, emancipation, democracy, equity, and excellence; and demonstrates moral courage and activism. The papers are presented in four sections focusing in turn on conceptualizing transformative leadership, curriculum through the lens of transformative leadership, transformative leadership in practice, and studying transformative leadership. Annotation c2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Carolyn M. Shields is Dean of the College of Education at Wayne State University. She has worked at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the University of British Columbia, and the University of Utah. She is past president of the Canadian Association for Studies in Educational Administration, and a fellow of the Commonwealth Council for Educational Administration and Management. Her teaching and research are in the area of transformative leadership, deep democracy, equitable policy, social justice, and research methodology and focus on how educational leaders can create learning environments that prepare students for excellence and citizenship in our global society. These interests are reflected in hundreds of presentations and publications including seven books. She has been recognized for her teaching and her career contributions to the field of educational leadership.