Leadership and Its Impact on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion: A Literature Review & Analysis ()
1. Introduction
Equity, diversity, and inclusion is a topic that has recently risen in the ranks of importance from a societal standpoint and is valued in various settings from the media to the corporate world and in education. This is evident when peering down various avenues present in education, such as curriculum development, analyzing standardized testing, mental health in education, research in education, educational policy, education development, and more. A recurrent theme that falls within these various topics is that of equity, diversity, and inclusion. It is something that plays such a key role in so many distinct aspects of education and truly serves as a backbone in various educational settings. As society continues to develop, and social justice continues to gain importance in institutions, the need for equity, diversity, and inclusion will only increase. (Tillman, 2013) [1]
The research presented in this paper highlights the connection between leadership and equity, diversity and inclusion in academic and educational settings. Connections can be made between equity, diversity & inclusion, and the various avenues of leadership such as leadership style, policy, values, and more. (Pont, 2017) [2] This paper aims to exemplify the importance of leadership when it comes to creating academic environments that have strong diversity, equity and inclusion practices. Often leadership is overlooked in these discussions about diversity, equity and inclusion when in reality it is imperative to the subject. Critical to academic success is the intentional centering of inclusive excellence, which encompasses equity, diversity, and inclusion principles, in leadership, strategic visioning, and decision-making processes (Gorard & Smith, 2004). [3] Considering the current crises that have arisen in academic settings since the recent COVID-19 pandemic and future times of uncertainty, utilizing an inclusive excellence leadership approach is paramount to the support and success of students, faculty, and staff. (Russel et al., 2021) [4]
This paper will present and analyze research from over the course of the past two decades that examines the relationship between diversity, equity and inclusion and leadership practices in academic and educational settings. In doing so, insight will be gained into how the relationship between leadership and diversity, equity, and inclusion can be fostered, how leadership can improve the current state of equity, diversity and inclusion in academic settings and the role policy plays in this relationship.
1.1. Purpose
The broad objective of my research is to further contribute information on achieving equity, diversity, and inclusion in schools, by providing an overview of the major themes relating to leadership and its impact on equity, diversity, and inclusion in schools. This will be achieved by conducting a literature review and analyzing key themes in equity education over the past two decades. There is an enumerated amount of peer-reviewed sources and other written works covering equity, diversity and inclusion and leadership as separate entities, specifically when narrowed down to the realm of academia and education, but few that discuss the two entities and their relationship with one another. This is where my broad objective stems from.
The connection between leadership and equity, diversity and inclusion in academic and/or educational settings is one that has a direct impact on academic environments, and the success of students and staff alike. In recent years, equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives have risen the ranks of importance when it comes to education. Specifically, over the last decade with social justice issues and a global pandemic highlighting widespread inequities that impact not only educational institutions, but society as an entirety. It is critical to analyze existing work in order to further research in the field and have positive outcomes for the future of education. Equity, diversity and inclusion are important issues for academic institutions. From a theoretical point of view, equity, diversity and inclusion is a multi-dimensional concept, with direct links to leadership. (Castelli et al., 2012) [5] This leads to the main research question addressed in this paper which is: How does leadership impact equity, diversity, and inclusion in academic settings? The objective of this paper is to read and analyze existing literature in order to gain further insight into this question and make suggestions for improvement in the field.
Objectives have been set out to guide the research in this paper and aid in exploring the research question. Through the review of current and existing literature on leadership and its connection with equity, diversity, and inclusion this paper will touch on and address a few key areas.
The first objective is to explore the topic of equity, diversity, and inclusion in educational settings, highlight its importance and develop answers on its impact. This will demonstrate the role that equity, diversity, and inclusion play in education and why it is so critical for students, staff, and organizational success. The second objective present in this paper is to determine the relationship between leadership and equity, diversity, and inclusion and gain insight into how said relationship can be fostered. This will be done through a review of recent and relevant literature on the topic of equity, diversity and inclusion and how it is influenced by educational leadership. The next objective presented in this paper is to analyze the policy related to the topic & the role that policy plays when it comes to leadership and equity, diversity, and inclusion. The final objective present in this research paper is a concluding objective and involves offering a suggestion for methods where leadership will not only foster, but improve equity, diversity, and inclusion in educational settings. These objectives will lead to strong research outcomes that will give insight into the importance of leadership and its relationship with equity, diversity, and inclusion and offer suggestions on how to impact change and improvement in the practice of teaching and learning. These objectives will be achieved through a literature review and providing an analysis of key themes in the field of equity education over the past two decades.
1.2. Research Background
The topic of equity, diversity and inclusion, and more specifically the connection between leadership and equity, diversity and inclusion is a topic that is not only educationally relevant but also significant to me as a Master of Education student and higher education professional. Broadly, leadership and its impact on equity, diversity and inclusion is something that serves to benefit educational research quite significantly as it is something that is often overlooked. People tend to chalk equity, diversity and inclusion in schools up to the student body and their background, school culture, geographical setting, socioeconomics, and even sometimes teachers. One area that is continually overlooked is the connection between educational leadership and equity, diversity, and inclusion. (Anderson, 2017) [6] Various leadership styles, policies and even values can completely shift an institution’s equity, diversity, and inclusion practices yet it is not something that is often focused on when it comes to researching how to address equity, diversity, and inclusion problems in educational institutions. (Agosto & Roland, 2018) [7]
Researching this topic will provide insight into the connection between leadership and equity, diversity and inclusion and lead to further research which will ultimately improve leadership in educational institutions and promote equity, diversity and inclusion long-term. The topic of leadership and its influence on equity, diversity and inclusion in schools is significant to me as a researcher and as someone who works in higher education as I have two perspectives on leadership and its impact on equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Leadership and equity diversity and inclusion in educational and academic settings are not often researched in relation to one another. The connection between both leaders and equity, diversity, and inclusion are critical when it comes to creating successful academic organizations where students and staff can thrive. When leadership does not address exclusive practices that are present in academic settings, and simply overlooks these exclusive practices rooted in a long history of societal inequities, students, staff and the school environment suffer. (Ryan, 2007) [8] Oftentimes people who hold leadership positions in the field of education look to existing literature in the field when developing their own career, making the lack of peer-reviewed literature in the field quite alarming. The literature review and analysis of relevant and recent literature in the field of leadership and equity, diversity and inclusion that I present in this paper is rationalized as it stands to summarize, analyze and expand upon current key themes in the field of equity education and benefit future conversations about leader and equity, diversity and inclusion.
The rationalization for this research is also supported by my positionality as a researcher. As a graduate student, and someone who currently works in the college setting as an instructor, I have various perspectives to offer on the existing literature and themes present under the topic of leadership and equity, diversity and inclusion. My two perspectives on the significance of the topic as well as the overall broader significance of the topic described above is what has led to this rationale.
2. Literature Review
This paper will use a literature review and analysis of the current themes in the field that are present in the literature review in order to present research on the topic of leadership and equity, diversity, and inclusion. It will consult and review peer-reviewed literature sourced from electronic databases. This is a qualitative method of conducting research that will frame the conversation of leadership and equity, diversity and inclusion in the same light. It will also highlight existing research on the subject and aid in the identification of any shortcomings or areas where improvement is necessary.
Conducting a literature review is something that is suitable for analyzing key themes present in a particular field and can have a variety of benefits. Some of these benefits include the fact that a literature review can give you a general overview of a body of a field or body of research in which you’ve yet to familiarize yourself with. First, it can reveal what has already been done well, allowing you to focus on areas of research that would benefit from improvements. It can also introduce you to innovative ideas that can be used to benefit future research and help you determine if there are any existing problems or flaws in the research that could benefit from a research focus. Finally, it can enable you to view and compare your research in a larger context, so that you can show what new conclusions might result from your research. (Knopf, 2006) [9]
Leadership and equity, diversity and inclusion are subject areas that stand to offer great benefits for academic organizations. It is a topic that lacks a variety of peer-reviewed research, despite an overwhelming amount of research present on the two entities within this topic. There is a variety of research on leadership in education as well as a variety of leadership on equity, diversity and inclusion in educational settings, yet minimal research on the two concepts and how they relate to and interact with one another. Though this lack of research in the field is concerning, there do happen to be a few sources that frame the two concepts of leadership, and diversity, equity and inclusion in the same conversation. It is important to analyze these existing sources in order to summarize and evaluate the state of knowledge and/or practice on leadership and equity, diversity and inclusion to bring change and improvement in the field of equity education. Precey and Mazurkiewicz (2013) [10] state that “Education is the best long-term instrument present to secure economic progress, as well as democracy and social stability.” (p. 115) and in order to benefit the field of education long-term, there needs to be consistent and up to date research present in the field. In today’s day and age, the topic of leader and equity, diversity and inclusion in education stands to influence education and academic organizations significantly so it is critical that the themes in the field be analyzed and expanded on in order to ensure overall academic success which will influence society in the long run. In this literature review the existing but limited sources on the subject of leadership and their impact on equity, diversity and inclusion will be reviewed and analyzed with the goal of highlighting the key themes present in the field.
2.1. The Importance of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Academic Settings
The Importance of equity, diversity and inclusion in educational settings is a critical theme when it comes to discussing the relationship between leadership and its impact on equity, diversity and inclusion. Educational leaders are the people who come together to create an organizational culture in academic settings, and often times issues regarding equity, diversity, and inclusion can be traced back to leadership, specifically when it comes to academic settings.
Sahlberg and Cobbold (2021) [11] state that:
All children have a right to high quality education. This basic principle is stated in international agreements and national education laws. UN’s Sustainable Development Goals expect that the member states “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” (United Nations 2015) [12] . More recently, UN’s World Social Report stresses “the importance of universal access to quality education to break the intergenerational cycle of growing inequality and promote inclusive development” (United Nations 2020, p. 148) [13] . Sadly, that the UN concludes, “the education system has often served to reinforce inequality rather than help to level the playing field” (United Nations 2020, p. 2) [13] .
In their “Leadership for equity and adequacy in education” research piece. This piece of literature demonstrates the idea that whilst it is proven that equity, diversity and inclusion in education can have positive impacts, and it is often found that the education system has equity issues that reinforce inequality. This seems to be the general consensus amongst many authors who have written literature on similar themes. In the article “Introduction to Racial Inequality and Education: Patterns and Prospects for the Future” Pedro Noguera (2017) [14] states that “growing poverty and economic inequality are having an impact on education and the opportunities available to children Writing about the detrimental effects of inequality on future generations.” He then goes on the quote author and Harvard political scientist Robert Putnam (2015) [15] in his book “Our Kids” where he states that he “observed poor kids, through no fault of their own, are less prepared by their families, their schools, and their communities to develop their God-given talents as fully as rich kids. For economic productivity and growth, our country needs as much talent as we can find, and we certainly can’t afford to waste it. The opportunity gap imposes on all of us both real costs and what economists term ‘opportunity costs’.” (p. 230) This once again highlights the equity issues that exist in the education system and the very real impact that a lack of equity, diversity and inclusion in education can have on society in the future.
These three pieces of peer-reviewed literature clearly highlight a very significant equity, diversity and inclusion problem and a consensus amongst researchers in the field of education. The problem described is backed by logic and can pose a significant societal dilemma if not addressed in an appropriate manner and through academic leadership. For this to happen, literature on the relationship between leadership and equity, diversity, and inclusion needs to be thoroughly reviewed.
2.2. Fostering the Relationship between Leadership and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
The relationship between leadership and equity, diversity and inclusion & how it can be fostered is a recurrent theme when reviewing the existing literature on the topic of educational leadership. It is quite clear that without strong leadership that fosters diversity, equity and inclusion practices, there is a significant hindrance to achieving educational equity in academic settings. This is problematic due to the long-lasting impacts and effects that education has on society. The relationship between leadership and equity, diversity and inclusion & how it can be fostered is a topic with minimal literature present and one that could benefit from further research. This being said, the existing literature is quite insightful and worth analyzing for further research to take place.
The first piece of literature that really delves into this connection between leadership and equity, diversity and inclusion & how it can be fostered is Ward et al. (2015) [16] “School leadership for equity: lessons from the literature” which mentions that “new managerial policy on school leadership for equity has developed internationally in response to concerns over social and economic inequalities”. This policy development appears to be at odds with neoliberalism’s “punitive” approach to welfare, which emphasizes personal rather than collective responsibility for the individual’s wellbeing (p. 6), which speaks to the overall quality of the literature on the subject and emphasizes that the problem that can be agreed upon is that there is an equity, diversity and inclusion problem in education that can be addressed through appropriate leadership decisions. This problem is reiterated in various literature, Mendez-Keegan (2019) [17] states that “significant changes in the educational system; the advancement of technology; political, social, and economical shifts; and the diversity of student populations require public school administrators to be informed to meet the challenges of the 21st century” (p. 13), which emphasizes what we have learned to date, and the consensus among authors in this field of literature regarding the problem at hand.
Despite the literature having common ground when it comes to the equity problem that has been identified and agreed upon, there are still some gaps in the research when it comes to fostering the relationship between leadership and equity, diversity and inclusion. Whilst it is mentioned in various literature, there seems to be some disagreement on the methods of doing so. Ward et al. (2015) [16] argues that “shortage of literature about the actual practice of social justice leadership in K-12 schools and the capacities needed by school leaders to engage in social justice. A preoccupation with the raising of consciousness, rather than action-oriented behavior, may account for this deficiency in the literature, the literature does provide examples of how school leaders have attempted to foster a climate of inclusion and equity in their schools. We identify three approaches that have been used in schools in diverse nations: 1) critical reflection; 2) the cultivation of a ‘common vision’, or shared policy on social justice; 3) ‘transforming dialogue’.” (p. 9) This argues that leadership is often preoccupied with consciousness rather than taking action. Similarly, Mendez-Keegan (2019) [17] argues that:
“For classroom instructional excellence to occur, administrative leadership practices must include collaboration, reflection, diversity, and professionalism. Instructional leaders’ focus is on the school climate, which affects school culture and student achievement. School climate is something that cannot be seen but felt within the school and between individuals.” (Ross & Cozzens, 2016, p. 46) [18]
While similar ideas of leadership being able to impact diversity, equity and inclusion in academic settings are clear in the literature, there is a gap when it comes to methods for fostering this relationship.
The literature on the relationship between leadership and equity, diversity, and inclusion & how it can be fostered is limited, but the existing relevant literature identifies a key problem area when it comes to equity, diversity, and inclusion in education and suggests that this problem can be addressed through leadership. Unfortunately, there is a gap in the research which leads to the problem of how the relationship between leadership and equity, diversity and inclusion can be fostered in order to improve education as an entirety. Though the literature raises some suggestions, the suggestions lack solidarity and common ground and require further research.
2.3. The Role of Policy When It Comes to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
A final area that the literature touches upon is the role of policy when it comes to leadership and equity, diversity, and inclusion. This is a key component of the research at hand as policy is something that often sways educational organizations and academic leadership. It can be both a positive and a negative depending on the policy at hand, policy can hinder leaders from fostering equity, diversity and inclusion by creating roadblocks or help leaders foster it through creating equity goals and requirements.
Tian & Huber (2020) [19] state that “appropriate policy needs to be in place in order to transform schools into equity-driven professional communities, as this allows leaders to incorporate democratic values, trust, professional efficacy and shared responsibilities.” (p. 137) this stresses the importance of having strong policy in place, but the literature also suggests that occasionally this is not enough to support the change necessary to foster the relationship between leadership and equity, diversity and inclusion. Tian & Huber (2020) [19] also mention that:
“existing evaluation policies tend to neglect schools’ contributions to promoting social justice and equity. The most academically successful schools often receive better resources although they often failed to reach out to the most marginalized student groups. There was a lack of studies revealing this hidden inequality. Moreover, it is found that social justice leaders often face resistance from privileged students and parents regarding the school’s inclusion policy. Sometimes, teachers also opposed inclusion to avoid increased workload and complexity. Educational policies endorsing social justice and equity often fail to help schools tackle daily challenges.” (p. 139)
This highlights a very important problem area and leaves a question in the research field of what can be done to ensure that policy does not hinder the progress of leadership. Research is required further in the field of policy and how it impacts the way leadership fosters equity, diversity and inclusion, this is a primary problem that stands out when reviewing literature in the field and one that needs more research attention as it could significantly benefit the field of policy analysis for equity education.
Overall, it is clear that the limited literature on the topic of leadership and its impact on equity, diversity and inclusion hold a few primary themes. The first of these themes being equity, diversity and inclusion and its role in education, where literature pieces Sahlberg and Cobbold (2021) [11] , Putnam (2015) [15] and Noguera (2017) [14] delve into and highlight a very significant equity, diversity and inclusion problem and a consensus amongst researchers in the field of education that the problem exists and needs to be solved through leadership. The second theme that exists within the literature on the subject is that of the current relationship between leadership and equity, diversity and inclusion and how this relationship can be fostered. Ward et al. (2015) [16] and Mendez-Keegan (2019) [17] are both peer-reviewed sources that focus on the relationship between leadership and equity, diversity, and inclusion & discuss the gap when it comes to how the relationship can be fostered in modern education. The final theme that is present in the literature is that of policy and how it impacts the way leadership fosters equity, diversity and inclusion. Tian & Huber (2020) [19] specifically discuss this area of debate on whether or not policy aids or hinders the relationship between leadership and equity, diversity and inclusion. Upon analysis of the recent and relevant literature in the field of leadership and equity education, these themes are recurrent and offer a unique perspective into the current research and what can be done to further foster the relationship between leadership and equity, diversity and inclusion to promote long term educational success and societal advancement.
3. Synthesis
Throughout the analysis of the existing and relevant literature, some critical themes have arisen that all relate back to leadership and its impact on equity, diversity, and inclusion in educational and academic settings. Oftentimes, the goal of educational research is to develop certain suggestions for improving education as an entirety. (Leithwood & Sun, 2012) [20] As mentioned, education goes hand in hand with societal function and success and the impacts of poor education or education that fails to foster students of all different backgrounds and lifestyles can be felt for years to come. (Schuller et al., 2004) [21] Modern society cannot function nor prosper with 8 inequitable education base and socially divisive hierarchies of schools, education should be treated as a public service and one that require drastic support from governments, school leadership and educators alike. (Simkins, 2005) [22] This impact that education has on societies on a global scale is often what drives educational research and what encourages further research in the field. The literature consulted and analyzed in the above literature review are no different than this. They offer insight into the very important themes that exist surrounding the topic of leadership and equity, diversity and inclusion in educational and academic settings. The review focuses primarily on the last two decades as this is a time where equity, diversity and inclusion has become the primary focus of many individuals research, as the world rapidly changes the needs of students have also drastically changes and placing primary attention on leadership and its impact on equity diversity and inclusion in academic settings provides strong research that can benefit education long term. In specific, the literature review has provided theories, research findings and other understandings on the topic of leadership and equity, diversity and inclusion that if operationalized in a practical sense could stand to bring change and improve the practice of teaching and learning significantly.
Sahlberg and Cobbold (2021) [11] , Noguera (2017) [14] and Putnam (2014) [15] all share similar findings. The theme that arose when analyzing these three pieces of literature was the theme of impact and importance. They focus on the impact equity, diversity and inclusion can have in academic and educational settings and why it is so critical to the overall success of academic settings. They also touch on the theme that leadership often influences equity, diversity and inclusion in schools. The literature clearly highlights a very significant equity, diversity and inclusion problem and a consensus amongst researchers in the field of education. The problem described is backed by logic and poses a significant societal dilemma if not addressed in an appropriate manner and through academic leadership. In order for this to happen, literature on the relationship between leadership and equity, diversity, and inclusion needs to be thoroughly reviewed. It is also important that the findings of this research be used as a precedent in future research, operationalizing this research at all levels of academia can also be extremely beneficial when it comes to improving the practice of teaching and learning. The practice of teaching and learning emphasizes this problem and further confirms that using these findings to guide equity practices in educational settings and encourage not only educational leaders, but individuals at all levels of academia to impact change as they have the authority to do so, or at the very least have the authority to encourage leadership and policymakers to do so. Operationalizing these findings when conducting future research and when introducing new equity, diversity, and inclusion practices can be extremely beneficial when it comes to improving the practice of teaching and learning.
Mendez-Keegan (2019) [17] & Ward et al. (2015) [16] both touch on the theory that can foster equity, diversity and inclusion through leadership. This theory lacks substantive research and literature, but the existing relevant literature confirms that a problem does exist when it comes to equity, diversity, and inclusion in education and suggests that this problem can be addressed through leadership. Unfortunately, through analysis of the literature, a gap in the research is uncovered which leads to the problem of how the relationship between leadership and equity, diversity and inclusion can be fostered in order to improve education as an entirety. The findings point to a possible suggestion which if further researched could stand to bring change to the practice of teaching and learning. The suggestion raised is promoting equity, diversity and inclusion through leadership. Through personal practice, this suggestion seems quite valid. Academic leaders who have personal experience, career backgrounds or adequate education in the field of equity, diversity and inclusion tend to create school environments that have strong equity, diversity and inclusion practices and where every student has the opportunity to thrive. (Heald et al., 2019) [23] The findings uncovered throughout the literature review and analysis combined with relation to personal practice raise the proposed change that the leadership selection process could benefit from adding required experience in equity, diversity, and inclusion or providing adequate equity training upon selection for a leadership role. Implementing this suggestion into the hiring and onboarding process when it comes to leadership roles in academia not only fosters the relationship between leadership and equity, diversity and inclusion, but stands to improve the practice of teaching and learning as an entirety.
Finally, Tian & Huber (2020) [19] focuses on the understanding that adequate policy and associated leadership are essential when it comes to transforming schools into “equity-driven professional communities”. (p. 137) The understanding is that this literature focuses on aligns with other literature in the field of educational policy and can be operationalized in a practical sense to improve the practice of teaching and learning. This literature highlights a very important problem area and leaves a question in the research field of what can be done to ensure that policy does not hinder the progress of leadership. Operationalizing the findings in a practical sense led to the suggestion that further research needs to be conducted in the field of educational policy, and that the policymaking process needs to be closely vetted to ensure that policy does not hinder the progress of leadership. Research is required further in the field of policy and how it impacts the way leadership fosters equity, diversity and inclusion, this is a primary problem that stands out when reviewing literature in the field and one that needs more research attention as it could significantly benefit the field of policy analysis for equity education. Solving this problem will improve the practice of teaching and learning, it can be done by consulting equity, diversity and inclusion experts when conducting the policymaking process. Practice in teaching and learning highlights the significant benefits of having policy that helps rather than hinders leaders when implementing equity, diversity and inclusion practices. Educational policy that does not limit self-expression and that promotes inclusivity and training can have very positive impacts on leadership, teachers and students alike and oftentimes this policy is consulted on and encouraged by individuals with equity, diversity and inclusion expertise. (Pont, 2017) [2]
The findings, theories, and understandings highlighted in the review of recent and relevant literature on the topic of leadership and equity, diversity, and inclusion in educational settings can be operationalized and related to the practice of teaching and learning to form the suggestions provided throughout this synthesis on improving the practice of teaching and learning.
4. Concluding Remarks and Recommendations
A combination of reviewing relevant literature from the past two decades combined with existing knowledge from practice in the field of teaching and learning has been used to explore the idea that leadership impacts equity, diversity, and inclusion in educational settings. The research presented throughout this project has confirmed that leadership does in fact have a direct impact on equity, diversity, and inclusion in educational settings which can have tremendous and long-term impacts on society. The research also highlights how equity, diversity, and inclusion can be fostered by leadership. Finally, it explains the role that policy plays when it comes to leadership and its impact on equity, diversity, and inclusion. The synthesis of this paper provides some suggestions on each theory and understanding raised in the literature review. It first suggests that to address the direct impact that leadership has on equity, diversity, and inclusion in educational settings to prevent long-term effects on society, these findings can be operationalized and used when conducting future research and when introducing new equity, diversity, and inclusion practices. The second suggestion made is to include required experience in equity, diversity, and inclusion in the educational leadership hiring process or provide adequate equity training upon selection for any leadership role in the field. The third and final suggestion made based on the findings of the literature review is that policymakers should consult equity, diversity, and inclusion experts when conducting the policymaking process to ensure policy that helps rather than hinders leaders and their impact on equity, diversity, and inclusion. These innovative suggestions based on practice and the findings presented in the literature review will contribute significantly to the field of education and overall improve the practice of teaching and learning from an equity perspective.