Developing School Leadership to Address Nationalism and Politicization in U.S. and Europe

• In Event: Constructing New Visions of Educational Leadership through Political Literacy

Abstract

This paper will examine how the use of leadership studies, with a specific focus on transformational leadership, can aid in addressing the rise of nationalism and politicization in K-12 schools in the United States and Europe. It will also compare how academic and professional programs that develop school leaders in the United States and Europe (specifically Switzerland) are addressing this rise of nationalism and politicization in schools. It will propose a model of pedagogy, courses, and field experiences in K-12 educational leadership academic programs and professional training that focuses on theories and research that elevate the followers and situation/context in schools, and not the school leader. The theoretical framework of this conceptual paper is grounded in Burns’ theory of transformational leadership, particularly its emphasis on ethical, relational, and context-responsive leadership. The authors argue that while Burns’ ideas have significantly shaped leadership studies, they remain underutilized in the preparation of K-12 educational leaders, where managerialism and “leaderism” dominate. Drawing on Hallinger, Leithwood, Spillane, and Murphy, the paper embraces a shift in focus from the individual leader to the dynamic interactions among leaders, followers, and the educational context. This framework critiques current leadership development practices that prioritize compliance and top-down authority, advocating instead for programs that cultivate political acuity, moral courage, and democratic responsiveness—particularly in the face of rising nationalism and politicization in schools. The framework also integrates comparative perspectives by examining leadership training in the United States and Switzerland, underscoring how context shapes leadership responses. The paper draws on foundational texts in leadership studies (e.g., Burns’ theory of transformational leadership) to critique dominant paradigms like managerialism and "leaderism." It develops a normative argument for more relational, ethical leadership development grounded in transformative values. This aligns closely with philosophical inquiry, which explores values, meanings, and ethical practices in education. The authors are not testing a hypothesis but building an argument for reorienting leadership preparation toward moral and relational ends. Comparative evidence is drawn from curricular documents, policy reports, and academic program descriptions in both the United States and Switzerland to illustrate how different sociopolitical contexts respond to rising nationalism and politicization in schools. These materials serve as the basis for a theoretical model of leadership development that centers on followers and context rather than formal leader authority.

Authors

• Tom Shields, University of Richmond

• Pierre Tulowitzki, FHNW University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland