Women Leading Education Across the Continents: Sharing the Spirit, Fanning the Flame

by Helen C. Sobehart (Editor), Charles Dougherty (Foreword)

Women Leading Education across the Continents is the first collection of research about and stories of women in basic and higher education leadership from every region of the globe. The chapters are authored by scholars representing every continent, including a keynote from the first all female team to traverse Antarctica. The book captures not only statistical data about the position of women in basic and higher education in over 17 countries, but relates compelling insights and stories about the challenges that women face in leadership, the limited access to education by young women, and some strategies for success that have fanned a flame to light the way for both women and men to follow toward equity and social justice.

344 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 2008

Reviews

[Elizabeth C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot emphasize in terms strong enough the importance and unique nature of this volume that focuses on women in educational leadership across the world. Women in leadership is a broad topic of discussion, but this book highlights more specifically women who lead in either basic or higher education. In late fall of 2011, I attended an invitation-only forum that UNESCO hosted in Paris whose focus was international gender equality in teaching and in leading education. Along with a list of dignitaries from many countries, three of the women featured at the forum appear in this book: Alice Kagoda, Jacky Lumby, and Jill Sperandio. As it turns out, UNESCO found the women in Women Leading Education Across the Continents. High praise, indeed!

The book covers a broad swath of topics--many of them highlighting empirical research investigations on many continents--but in reader-friendly language. You don't have to hold a doctorate to follow the stories that unfold, but it certainly is a book that can inspire work of your own as it has mine and that of some of my educational leadership students. Allow the spirit to inspire you that founder of Women Leading Education, Helen Sobehart, offers.

(NB: In the spirit of full disclosure, I am a member of the Women Leading Education Network, but did not contribute to this book.)