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France: Between Civil Service and Republican Ethics – The Statist Vision of Leadership Among French Principals

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A Decade of Research on School Principals

Part of the book series: Studies in Educational Leadership ((SIEL,volume 21))

Abstract

This chapter describes the new missions of French principals regarding the current transformations of French education policy. French principals are considered by their hierarchy as administrators more than managers, as representatives of the State more than members of the local community, and as civil servants more than entrepreneurs. The role of “pedagogue” officially devoted to them is firmly framed by official regulations which limit their power and autonomy. It explains why the notion of management is hardly compatible with their vision and practice while there is no specific research field on school management and leadership. The chapter explores the dominant literature in professional journals and official documents in reviewing some main topics regarding the changing conditions of principals at work. It characterizes some institutional and cultural differences, comparatively to other European countries, and the maintenance of a tradition of civil service and republican ethics in this professional group. The attachment to the democratization and equality of opportunities is also a major component of its professional and shared values.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    DEROUET Jean-Louis, NORMAND Romuald, (coord.) Une nouvelle répartition des rôles et des responsabilités au sein des établissements scolaires. La question du leadership. Contributions à une réflexion européenne, Paris, Ed. Organisations, 2014. (A new share of roles and responsibilities in schools. The Issue of Leadership. Contributions to a European Reflection.)

  2. 2.

    Here are the last topics related to administration and management with their dates of publication (the journal is publishing three or four issues each year): (2013) La GRH de proximité (The close management of human resources), (2012) L’École et les réseaux (School and its networks); 2010 Piloter le premier degré (Steering the first primary sector of education); (2010) Equipe de direction, équipe enseignante (Leading team, teaching team).

  3. 3.

    Here are the titles of the book already published (complete references at the end of the chapter): Le pilotage par les résultats. Un défi pour demain (Steering by results: A challenge for tomorrow); Autonomie et responsabilité des cadres publics. Une mutation managériale (Autonomy and responsibility of public executives: A managerial mutation); évaluation des politiques publiques. Le développement d’une nouvelle culture (Evaluation of public policies: The development of a new culture); Le management par le sens. Au service du bien public (The management by the sense: Serving the public good); Ecole de la qualité. Une chance pour le management public (The school of quality: A chance for the public management); Le développement professionnel des cadres. Apprentissages et gestion des connaissances (The professional development of executives: Learning and management of knowledge); La déontologie des cadres publics. Pour un service responsable (The deontology of public executives: For a responsible service); L’imagination managériale des cadres publics. Un talent à cultiver (The managerial imagination of public executives: A talent to cultivate); E-gouvernance. Pour une nouvelle administration numérique (E-governance: For a new digital administration).

  4. 4.

    BACHELARD Olivier, NORMAND Romuald, Le leadership au service du Nouveau Management Public. Favoriser l’émergence de compétences collectives, CNDP, ESEN, 2013 (Leadership to serve new public management. How to enhance capacity building).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Unit SAGE (Societies, Actors and Government in Europe), Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France

    Romuald Normand

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  1. Romuald Normand
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Correspondence to Romuald Normand .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Principal Development, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden

    Helene Ärlestig

  2. Centre for Research on Educational Leadership and Management, School of Education, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom

    Christopher Day

  3. Centre for Principal Development, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden

    Olof Johansson

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Normand, R. (2016). France: Between Civil Service and Republican Ethics – The Statist Vision of Leadership Among French Principals. In: Ärlestig, H., Day, C., Johansson, O. (eds) A Decade of Research on School Principals. Studies in Educational Leadership, vol 21. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-23027-6_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-23027-6_17

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-23027-6

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