The purpose of this article is to explore the relationship between social justice leadership and ... more The purpose of this article is to explore the relationship between social justice leadership and organizational decision making in order to make recommendations for how principals can make more socially just decisions in difficult school contexts. This article begins with a discussion of social justice leadership, facets and theories associated with social justice, and how facets can be contradictory and problematic in practice. Then, rational choice theory is presented to detail key assumptions and criticisms that are associated with decision-making in complex organizations. Next, rational choice theory is utilized as a straw man for analyzing principal decision-making in complex organizations in order to highlight how competing facets of social justice or inherent leadership dilemmas can arise and complicate decision-making. This article concludes with practice oriented recommendations for principals and other leaders seeking to create more socially just schools.
The large number of military personnel returning from combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan w... more The large number of military personnel returning from combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan with symptoms of mental illness has led to specializations into veteran mental health treatment and post-traumatic disorder. While the focus on this population is both beneficial and warranted, it has the potential to lead to a myopic view of veterans’ experiences and needs. This article attempts to provide a larger perspective that examines the responsibility of mental health professionals to balance the unique nature of veterans’ experiences with their individual diversity and not view them or their experiences through a strictly pathological lens. It is the authors’ contention that failing to include a holistic approach to counseling veterans may inadvertently stigmatizing them as a group. Discussions about the risks of over pathologizing symptoms and the value of wellness counseling will also be presented as a representation of the need to include a more diverse approach to counseling veterans and assisting with re-integration into their communities.
The purpose of this article is to explore the relationship between social justice leadership and ... more The purpose of this article is to explore the relationship between social justice leadership and organizational decision making in order to make recommendations for how principals can make more socially just decisions in difficult school contexts. This article begins with a discussion of social justice leadership, facets and theories associated with social justice, and how facets can be contradictory and problematic in practice. Then, rational choice theory is presented to detail key assumptions and criticisms that are associated with decision-making in complex organizations. Next, rational choice theory is utilized as a straw man for analyzing principal decision-making in complex organizations in order to highlight how competing facets of social justice or inherent leadership dilemmas can arise and complicate decision-making. This article concludes with practice oriented recommendations for principals and other leaders seeking to create more socially just schools.
The large number of military personnel returning from combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan w... more The large number of military personnel returning from combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan with symptoms of mental illness has led to specializations into veteran mental health treatment and post-traumatic disorder. While the focus on this population is both beneficial and warranted, it has the potential to lead to a myopic view of veterans’ experiences and needs. This article attempts to provide a larger perspective that examines the responsibility of mental health professionals to balance the unique nature of veterans’ experiences with their individual diversity and not view them or their experiences through a strictly pathological lens. It is the authors’ contention that failing to include a holistic approach to counseling veterans may inadvertently stigmatizing them as a group. Discussions about the risks of over pathologizing symptoms and the value of wellness counseling will also be presented as a representation of the need to include a more diverse approach to counseling veterans and assisting with re-integration into their communities.
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