‘For all, by all, with all’: Directors and programme planners as co-creators of racism-critical organisational development in adult education
A case study at the German Volkshochschule
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3384/rela.2000-7426.5670Keywords:
racism-critical organisational development, racism, Volkshochschule, German adult education centre, critical leadershipAbstract
This article analyses how directors and programme planners at the German Volkshochschule (adult education centre) support racism-critical organisational development. The data is interpreted with qualitative content analysis and based on five interviews conducted with directors and program planners within one Volkshochschule. In order to research the potential avenues of support, the article employs a theoretical framework based on racism-critical leadership approaches. The article argues that through an interplay of leadership characteristics and leadership actions two forms of support empirically emerge: (1) an organisational guiding principle of education for all, by all and with all and (2) a community-driven programme planning challenging the programme planning table and making communities to curators of their own learning pathways. The findings indicate the central role of directors and programme planners in racism-critical organisational development processes and underscore the necessity of continuous organisational self-critique to address racism.
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