Identity Construction Among School Superintendents in Sweden: A Study of Educational Leadership

The study explores how Swedish school superintendents form their professional identities while navigating the dual demands of managerial and educational leadership. In a context of weak role formalization, identity formation emerges as central to understanding tensions between professional identity and role performance. Drawing on theories of identity and professions, the study uses thematic analysis of 28 in-depth interviews. The findings reveal tensions between external categorization and internal experience, shaped by policy pressures and resulting in resistance, adaptation, and hybridity. The analysis identifies divergent identity trajectories: some superintendents prioritize managerial efficiency, while others emphasize professional legitimacy. The study highlights the interplay between governance, professional discourse, and individual agency in identity construction.