Educational leadership for social justice: A systematic review of empirical evidence

Badwan, Khawla ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1808-724X, Chaaban, Youmen and Arar, Khalid (2025) Educational leadership for social justice: A systematic review of empirical evidence. Review of Education. ISSN 2049-6613

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Abstract

Educational leadership for social justice is a recurrent educational theme and endeavor with significant implications for creating equitable and inclusive educational ecosystems where all children thrive. However, social justice constitutes an ontological stance that is interpreted, practiced and conceptualized in different ways across various contexts. This article documents a systematic review of empirical studies, including 124 peer-reviewed journal articles published between 2014-2024, which were identified through searches in four databases: SCOPUS, Web of Science, Lens and ERIC. The findings of this review reveal that case studies and qualitative approaches are the most frequently employed research designs, though the study contexts show a notable lack of geographical diversity. Emerging themes highlight the role of culturally responsive leadership, the influence of personal and professional identities in leadership, and the tensions principals navigate between policy mandates and social justice commitments. We conclude with a critical analysis of these findings, whereby limitations and paradoxes are identified, and ways forward are advanced for a socially just leadership