About the Book
In a time when the world is facing significant challenges, leaders who work for justice and equity for all people are necessary. Transformative Leadership in Action: Allyship, Advocacy, and Activism challenges the reader to do the essential self-work required of a 21st century leader, and provides the road map to developing the skills necessary to take on increasing public leadership roles to support causes related to justice and equity.
Shining a light on unexplored, yet crucial, components of the discussion around the apex of leadership and social justice, Bruce and McKee first investigate the tie between social justice work and leadership competencies grounded in theory. Second, they put forward a pedagogical guide in teaching at this apex—engaging both the instructor and student(s) in unique learning journeys.
Offering insight for educators, current leaders, and future leaders, this book is a crucial resource – providing go-to support for engaging in allyship, advocacy, and activism for justice and equity. If you want your learners to be leaders and not just think about leadership, this is the book you need.
Table of Contents:
Chapter 1: Theoretical Underpinnings
Leading to Transform Our World; Carolyn M. Shields;
Chapter 2: Leadership as a Mechanism for Change Disrupting Dominance
Privilege, Positionality and Possibilities for Shared Power; Jennifer Tilghman-Havens;
Chapter 3: Transformative Leadership in Leadership Education Pedagogy: Becoming a Transformative Leader
The Student Leader Activist Identity Continuum; Katherine E. McKee and Jacklyn A. Bruce;
Tales from the Real World: Putting Leadership Theory into Social Justice Practice; Anna Patton;
Chapter 4: Learners Pedagogy
Developing Learner Identities Through Countering Othering; James Mohr and Kristine F. Hoover;
Tales from the Real World: Putting Compassion into Action: The Making of the CCC; Rebecca Schisler;
Case Study: Educational Equity; Lauryn Mascareñaz;
Chapter 5: Allies Pedagogy;
Developing Ally Identities; Mac Benavides, Tess Hobson, Aliah Mestrovich Seay, Chance Lee, and Kerry Priest
Tales from the Real World: Call to Action to Engage in Critical Indigenous Leadership Activism & Allyship; Danielle Mitchell, and Kathy Bishop;
Case Study: Centering Queer Students; Elizabeth Indermaur and Coleman Simpson
Chapter 6: Advocates Pedagogy
Developing Advocate Identities; Jacklyn A. Bruce and Katherine E. McKee
Tales from the Real World: Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) as Advocates in Corporate America; Kyle Jordan Case Study: Have Nots to Haves; Glenn W. “Max” McGee
Chapter 7: Activists Pedagogy
Developing Activist Identities; Jacklyn A. Bruce and Katherine E. McKee
Tales from the Field: Creating Pathways for Reunification for the Disregarded; William Clark;
Tales from the Field: Disrupting Poverty through a Whole Family Approach to Jobs Initiative in New England; Josephine Hauer;
Case Study: Reckoning with Slavery through Student Activism; Erika Cohen Derr, Aysha Dos, and Adanna J. Johnson;
Case Study: Artists as Leaders for Social Justice; Carol Burbank
Chapter 8: A Systems Approach Pedagogy
Identifying and Leveraging Institutional Entry Points; Renee Wells Tales from the Field: Under the Influence of Masculinity; Carmelin Rivera
Case Study: Women in the Movement for Black Life: Transformative Activist Leadership Reshaping Black Politics; Sharon Gramby-Sobukwe
About the Author :
Jacklyn A. Bruce is an Associate Professor of Agricultural & Human Sciences at North Carolina State University.
Katherine E. McKee is an Assistant Professor of Agricultural & Human Sciences Department at North Carolina State University.
Review :
‘Transformative Leadership in Action offers a deeply reflective and reflexive account of the bravery and vulnerability necessary for substantive social change, meaningful personal transition, and groundbreaking policy initiatives in an increasingly uncertain world. Through brief research accounts, personal stories, and professional cases, the contributing scholars deftly capture the compassion and determination needed to continually refine one’s allyship prowess. The ideas, tactics, and strategies collected here should be considered required reading for all aspiring allies, accomplices, change agents, advocates, and activists.’
‘An array of turbulence in the twenty-first century dictates that strong, confident voices rise up and address the matters of the day – dominance, privilege, social justice, activism, allyship – and, without wavering, advocate for social change. The editors and authors in this brilliant collection, masterfully do just that. This is a must have, must read for scholars, practitioners, students, humanitarians, and others whose goal it is to protect our collective humanity by putting transformative leadership into action.’
‘This timely book goes beyond transformational leadership as a conceptual framework to transformative leadership as a call to action that involves taking steps to elevate the human condition toward greater equity and justice. Well-documented, informative, personal, inclusive, and provocative, the authors offer a book aimed at helping students heed a call to action to make the world a better place.’
‘This is an incredible resource for leaders and leadership educators in all contexts looking to engaging in complex conversations about transformative change.’
‘For those from privileged background who want to be authentic allies to liberation movements, Transformative Leadership in Action provide practical guidelines and examples of authentic allyship. This book adds to our understanding of social change leadership in both the university and the wider community.’
'Now more than ever transformative leadership is needed! Rooted in theory and practice, this book is an excellent guide for developing the character and capabilities of transformative leaders. Furthermore, it can serve as an excellent reference for gaining wisdom and strategies of transformative leadership to make a positive difference in the world.
As a leadership educator, associate professor, and a program head for Royal Roads University’s Master’s of Arts in Leadership program, one of Canada’s largest graduate programs promoting leadership development, I keep this book handy on my shelf as guide and reference when not lending it to colleagues and students!'
'Transformative Leadership in Action is a book of uncommon courage, depth, and gravity. In the wake of the unfulfilled promises of democratic nations, organizations, and groups of all forms, here we find an antidote, a curative effect helping us become more whole and more capable of answering the most difficult responsibilities of the present day. The leadership and practice involved in liberatory and transformative life comes to the fore, reshaping that which has failed to enliven the best in the human community, Transformative Leadership in Action reaches into the heart of humanity not only to strengthen our collective heart, but to lead us forward and upward into a new dawn in which we more closely embody the prophetic essence Martin Luther King Jr. spoke so deeply of: that the content of our character would make us capable of transcending the chaos of the times.'
