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Exploring Instructional Leadership as Foucault's Discourse and Power

Author

Listed:
  • Victor J. Pitsoe

    (Department of Leadership and Management, College of Education, University of South Africa)

  • Mmalefikane Sylvia Sepeng

    (University of South Africa)

Abstract

This study explores the application of Michel Foucault's theories of discourse and power to instructional leadership in educational settings, particularly in culturally nuanced contexts such as Asia and Africa. It highlights the complexity and potential limitations of using discourse as a technique in regions where traditional values like African philosophical and ethical traditions and Confucianism play a significant role. The intertwining of political power and personal virtue in these settings can complicate the application of Foucault's ideas, potentially overburdening the mechanisms of discourse and subjectivity. However, these challenges also offer opportunities for deeper inquiry. By examining how global discourses of instructional leadership materialized in specific African and Asian contexts, researchers can gain insights into the reconceptualization of agency and provide a voice beyond binary perspectives of liberatory or totalitarian frameworks. The study underscores the dynamic nature of educational research and the importance of avoiding the commodification of Foucault's ideas, encouraging a more nuanced and contextually aware understanding of instructional leadership.

Suggested Citation

  • Victor J. Pitsoe & Mmalefikane Sylvia Sepeng, 2025. "Exploring Instructional Leadership as Foucault's Discourse and Power," Annals of the University of Craiova for Journalism, Communication and Management, Department of Communication, Journalism and Education Sciences, University of Craiova, vol. 11(1), pages 59-67, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:edt:aucjcm:v:11:y:2025:i:1:p:59-67
    DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.15851145
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Instructional leadership; Foucault's discourse; Power dynamics; Educational reform; Cultural context;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education

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