Harris2018

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Harris2018
BibType ARTICLE
Key Harris2018
Author(s) Jess Harris
Title Speaking the culture: Understanding the micro-level production of school culture through leaders' talk
Editor(s)
Tag(s) EMCA, Membership categorization analysis
Publisher
Year 2018
Language English
City
Month
Journal Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education
Volume 39
Number 3
Pages 323-334
URL Link
DOI https://doi.org/10.1080/01596306.2016.1256271
ISBN
Organization
Institution
School
Type
Edition
Series
Howpublished
Book title
Chapter

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Abstract

Global contexts of accountability have placed unprecedented pressure on school leaders to improve the performance of their schools. Despite recognition that leaders’ influence is mediated by school culture, few studies offer systematic examinations of culture-in-action in schools. The concept of culture remains nebulous and is frequently glossed over as being ‘messy’ in studies of school change. This paper uses tools from membership categorisation analysis to demonstrate how culture is produced at a micro-level in and through the actions of leaders in one school. My analysis shows a disjuncture between the purported values and policies of the school and the ways that school leaders through their talk construct and implement school practices, and thus the culture-in-action at their school. I argue that implementing effective change is impossible without understanding and disrupting the micro-level production and reproduction of culture in schools.

Notes