Leadership and Equity in Appalachian Education: Toward a Bourdieusian Understanding of Place-Conscious School Administration

• In Event: Sunday Roundtable 9:45 am
  In Roundtable Session: Identity and Cultural Capital in Remote, Rural, and Underresourced Settings (Table 9)

Abstract

This ethnographic study explores Bourdieu's concepts of habitus and capital in the context of rural Appalachian schools. Focusing on educational leaders in three southwestern Virginia counties, the study investigates the interplay between leadership identity and habitus and capital dynamics. Through a qualitative approach, data was gathered on the practices and partnerships of these leaders. The purpose was to understand how their backgrounds and experiences influenced their leadership styles and decisions, and reciprocally, how their leadership roles affected their accumulation and use of different forms of capital. Findings reveal that leaders' habitus, shaped by Appalachian culture and values, significantly impacted their approach to school leadership and their ability to leverage various forms of capital to benefit their schools and communities.

Author

• Charles L. Lowery, Virginia Tech