Although participatory models of distributed leadership have gained traction across the higher education sector in the UK, it is also the case that forms of exclusion continue to defy aspirations for improving diversity in senior leadership across higher education. This article contends that an (undemocratic) participatory model of distributed…

The dearth of representation regarding Black and Ethnic Minorities (BME) in senior educational leadership roles within higher education (HE) has become a salient issue as egalitarian notions associated with equality and diversity continue to be contradicted by university institutions, despite increased calls for greater diversification.…

Using intersectionality theory, the article presents constructions of successful leadership by three Black women school principals in three different contexts: England, South Africa and the United States. The article is premised on the overall shortage of literature on Black women in educational leadership, which leaves Black women's experiences…