Understanding School Principals´ Leadership

The aim of the present book is to expand and deepen an interpretation of principalship that takes its point of departure in the principal being a person, working as a professional and occupying a specific position in the educational system. The principals¿ professional activities are therefore seen as informed by both the principal¿s personhood and the professional position framing the occupation. Focusing on the principal in this light is assumed to contribute to understanding activities in the principals¿ leadership. By choosing this title the intention is to turn the attention to dimensions essential for how principals are conducting their leadership. Although a focus on the principals¿ professional identity is not a new topic it is still recognized, in descriptions of the international state of the art of principal research, that questions related to the principals¿ professional identity is an under-researched field.