The influence of culture on the leadership and management styles of assistant principals in Palestinian Arab elementary schools in East Jerusalem

Abstract

This study examines how locally embedded cultural values shape the leadership and management practices of assistant principals (APs) in Palestinian Arab elementary schools in East Jerusalem. Positioned as middle-tier leaders within complex and often divided educational systems, APs are increasingly expected—both globally and in Israel—to spearhead pedagogical innovation, instructional improvement, and organizational learning while navigating institutional constraints and community expectations. Drawing on a qualitative, phenomenological design and based on in-depth interviews with 10 APs, I explore how four salient cultural constructs—ayib (social shame), wasta (social mediation), karam (generosity), and shura (consultation)—influence the daily decision-making and professional identity of East Jerusalem APs. In this study, my analysis distinguishes between Arab sociocultural norms (e.g. collectivism, deference to elders, hierarchical authority) and Islamic moral imperatives (e.g. justice, trust, consultation) in order to clarify their distinct effect on leadership practice. The findings reveal that these cultural values serve as both enabling and constraining forces: While they strengthen legitimacy, trust, and cohesion within the school community, they may also limit assertive management, delay accountability, and/or complicate policy implementation. APs act as cultural brokers, translating national and institutional mandates into sustainable action compatible with communal honor codes. By foregrounding the lived experiences of APs in East Jerusalem, I illuminate the tension between formal managerial expectations and culturally grounded moral obligations. The present study can hopefully contribute to international scholarship on culturally responsive and context-sensitive educational leadership and can perhaps further leadership development policy in Israel through an emphasis on the need to recognize APs as pedagogical leaders of leaders and as officials who are equipped with interpersonal, reflective, and transformative competencies suited to multicultural and politically sensitive environments.