Work Through the Folds

The book explores the leadership of vocational high school principals in China, focusing on how their leadership is distributed among stakeholders and shaped by policy, culture, and social norms.

Based on a qualitative study of 31 Chinese vocational high school principals, the author seeks to understand their interpretations of equity in vocational education and the reasons behind their leadership actions. By analyzing their personal views and experiences, she connects their micro-narratives with the broader narratives of the market and cultural legitimacy of academic-vocational tracking policies. Ultimately, the book fosters a dialogue between existing empirical evidence on effective principal leadership styles and the process of principals’ becoming.

The book will appeal to scholars and students of principal leadership, school management, and educational policy, as well as school administrators and principals facing challenges of educational equity.