News Archive

The Faculty of Arts, Business, Law and Education celebrate the success of authors from the Graduate School of Education for the recent completion of a trilogy of works surrounding the rebuilding of school systems in post-war conflict zones, a collection that dates from 2017 - 2019.

The trilogy of education books comprise: Primary School Leadership in Post-Conflict Rwanda: A Narrative Arc written by Dr Gilbert Karareba, Professor Simon Clarke and Professor Tom O’Donoghue, Primary School Leadership in Post-Conflict Cambodia: Context-Bound Teaching and Leading written by Dr Thida Kheang, Professor Tom O’Donoghue, and Professor Simon Clarke and Leaders and Leadership in Serbian Primary Schools. Perspectives Across Two Worlds written by Dr Jelena Rakovic, Professor Tom O’Donoghue, and Professor Simon Clarke.

Dr Jelena Rakovic, a member of the Graduate School of Education’s post-conflict research group, spoke of the motivation behind completing the trilogy of works.

“It’s so gratifying to see these tangible outcomes emerge from our post-conflict research group,” Dr Rakovic said.

“It's an indication that we have succeeded in opening up research in the area of school leadership in post-conflict contexts. In doing so, we hope that this trilogy of books will have sufficient weight to nudge the field of Educational Leadership in new and exciting directions.”

Primary School Leadership in Post-Conflict Rwanda: A Narrative Arc examines the status of primary schools in Rwanda and the history behind their development. The work identifies the challenges that school leaders encounter, many of which are attributable to the legacies of war and the genocide in 1994. Consideration is also given to the strategies pursued by school leaders in dealing with these challenges as the Rwandan government invests in reconstructing education following the country’s turmoil.

Primary School Leadership in Post-Conflict Cambodia: Context-Bound Teaching and Leading investigates the relationship between context and school leadership in post-conflict Cambodia. The book discusses the many challenges that the education system encounters as the country engages in the process of national rehabilitation and reconstruction after the traumas of civil war and genocide.

Leaders and Leadership in Serbian Primary Schools. Perspectives Across Two Worlds gives attention to post-socialist and post-conflict Serbia where school leaders are attempting to navigate the country’s rapidly changing political, social, and economic situation. The narrative emphasises the clash between the complexities of Serbia’s history and its attempts to align education policies with those of the European Union; a clash that has created unique challenges for school leaders.

The trilogy lends a distinctive edge to scholarly discussion about school leadership in post-conflict contexts. The three books portray the ways conceptualisations and practices of school leadership are influenced by the circumstances of the school setting.

The trilogy is available for viewing at the University Library and the Education, Fine Arts and Architecture Library (EDFAA).

Media references

Caitlin White (UWA Faculty of Arts, Business, Law and Education) (+61 8) 6488 3214