A Comparative Analysis of Intersections of Gender and Race Among Black Female School Leaders in South Africa, United Kingdom and the United States

Abstract

In this chapter we use intersectionality theory to do a cross-cultural analysis of three black women leaders’ experiences of leadership in relation to their gender and race in the leadership of schools from three different contexts: England, South Africa and the United States. Through a life-history methodology, black women leaders were interviewed using a set of topics that focused on the interviews and allowed some flexibility to follow up interesting unexpected contextual patterns. The findings suggest that women’s constructions of success are strongly shaped by their gender and race and are deeply rooted in their cultural and familial histories as sources of courage, inspiration and values. These deep-rooted values compel them to practise leadership that is inclusive, fair and socially just. We conclude that the intersectional role of race and gender is significant and needs to be understood alongside the intersection with other aspects of identity such as culture, ethnicity and family background in order to bring stories of black women’s successful leadership to the fore.