Women University Presidents: Leadership Within Bourdieu's Model of Cultural Capital

Abstract

Twenty‐four of 157 U.S. public research universities, within the Carnegie Classification of Doctoral Universities: Higher and Highest Research, are led by women presidents. Using Bourdieu's model of cultural capital as a theoretical framework, eight of the women presidents were interviewed to identify their experiences negotiating a patriarchal culture of leadership. Findings of the narrative study indicated that women presidents navigate in three spheres: Becoming a Member, Leading as a Member, and Staying a Member. The findings from the narrative study show the success of women presidents, and ways they navigate within the lens of gender.