1 Why use social, critical and political theories in educational leadership? -- 2 Critical perspectives in educational leadership: a new ‘theory turn’? -- 3 Michel Foucault and discourses of educational leadership -- 4 Using Judith Butler to queer(y) educational leadership -- 5 Bernard Stiegler: Technics, and educational leadership as a form of psycho-power -- 6 Entangling Karen Barad with/in educational leadership -- 7 The inescapable connection between theory and practice.

This book makes the case for the continued and expanded use of social, critical and political theories in the field of educational leadership. It helps readers understand educational leadership by introducing them to a wide variety of theoretical and philosophical approaches and positions. The book incorporates a rich blend of ideas and concepts, and compares and contrasts the approaches discussed. The content largely focuses on four educational thinkers: Michel Foucault, Judith Butler, Bernard Stiegler and Karen Barad. The chapters do not cover each thinker’s oeuvre exhaustively, but instead provide a brief overview of his/her ideas, while also helping readers understand a particular aspect of the educational leadership discourse. Each chapter also provides supplementary reading recommendations for those interested in pursuing these ideas in more depth.