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Using Judith Butler to Queer(y) Educational Leadership

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Social, Critical and Political Theories for Educational Leadership

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Abstract

This chapter examines the work of Judith Butler. In this chapter we attempt to unpack the key ideas in Butler’s work. Butler’s work is dense, so the aim of this chapter is to make her ideas as accessible as possible. We explore Butler’s concepts of intelligibility, performativity, causal reversal and performative resignification. All of these concepts speak back to long held notions about ‘truth’, ‘identity’ formation and agency. Throughout the chapter, prompting questions are asked and potential links with educational leadership are made. This culminates in an extended example at the end of the chapter showing how Butler may be used within the educational leadership space.

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Niesche, R., Gowlett, C. (2019). Using Judith Butler to Queer(y) Educational Leadership. In: Social, Critical and Political Theories for Educational Leadership. Educational Leadership Theory. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-8241-3_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-8241-3_4

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-13-8240-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-13-8241-3

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