Presentation Schedule
The Intersection of Class, Capital and Identity: A Critical Political Economy Analysis of Education Policy and Leadership in the Kurdistan (95129)
Session Chair: Gertrude Mafoa Quan
Friday, 13 June 2025 10:20
Session: Session 1
Room: Room 106 (1F)
Presentation Type:Oral Presentation
The Kurdistan Region in Iraq (KRI) has undergone several structural education policy and reform changes since 2003, which have significantly influenced the practice of school leadership. Despite rising interest in the Iraqi Kurdish context, locally and globally, studies examining the interaction of education policy and leadership are still limited. This paper explores the impact of the reform context on school leaders’ role and their relationship with education policy through a critical political economy lens. Using a combined framework, the study draws on Beinin’s work in the political economy of the Middle East and Giddens theory of structuration and his notions agency and structure in relation to the interaction of leadership and policy. The study uses a multi-method approach comprising of five case studies, 12 in-depth interviews with school leaders and five critical reflective journals written by school leaders. To analyse the data collated from these methods, a critical policy economy analysis approach is used. The findings address the significant inequalities and inequities between schools and highlight the complex relationship between leadership and policy. Based on the findings, the paper provides an analysis of educational policy in the region amidst political, cultural, and socio-economic complexity. Then, it highlights the constant interplay of history, power, and market capital in the work of schools and leaders. The paper lays out the significant differences between different schooling systems driven by the intersection of capital, class, power and identity, which create significant challenges for school leadership.
Authors:
Nidal Al Haj Sleiman, London School of Economics, United Kingdom
About the Presenter(s)
Dr Nidal Al Haj Sleiman is currently a Research Officer at LSE Middle East Centre.
Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nidal-al-haj-sleiman/
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