Date of Award

6-15-2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Organizational Unit

Morgridge College of Education, Educational Leadership and Policy Studies

First Advisor

Lolita Tabron

Second Advisor

Kristina Hesbol

Third Advisor

Linda L. Semu

Fourth Advisor

Ruth Chao

Keywords

Gender and feminism, Gender equity, Secondary education leadership, Ubuntu leadership, Women's leadership

Abstract

This dissertation aimed to underscore the multifaceted experiences of women leaders (headteachers) in rural secondary schools in Malawi. This study delved into the narratives of three women leaders, exploring the intricate connections between their leadership journeys, the principles of Ubuntu, feminist perspectives, and the dynamics of community capitals. This study employed a narrative inquiry approach, allowing and empowering participants to share their stories in their own words (Creswell & Poth, 2017; Egbert & Sanden, 2019; Hickson, 2016; Tenny et al., 2020). Through in-depth interviews, reflective narratives, and a focus group, this research captured the diverse narratives of the three women leaders, shedding light on the challenges, successes, and personal growth they encountered in their leadership roles.

Four main themes emerged from this study: headteacher by merit not chance, navigating (un)foreseen leadership circumstances, understanding community traditional culture and collaboration, and (mis)understanding feminism and gender in women’s leadership. This dissertation contributes to the existing literature on women's leadership by offering a nuanced understanding of leadership complexities in a rural secondary school setting in Malawi. It also informs educational policy and practice by highlighting the unique challenges and opportunities of educational leaders. Finally, this study contributes to global discourse on the experiences of Black women in leadership.

Copyright Date

6-2024

Copyright Statement / License for Reuse

All Rights Reserved
All Rights Reserved.

Publication Statement

Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.

Rights Holder

Rachel Anna Kamnkhwani

Provenance

Received from ProQuest

File Format

application/pdf

Language

English (eng)

Extent

219 pgs

File Size

3.1 MB

Available for download on Wednesday, August 12, 2026



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