Intersecting discourses : how finnish principals construct meaning and value foundations for inclusive leadership

Principals have a central role in developing inclusive school cultures through leadership for vision, value discourse, and structural implementation. We investigate how Finnish principals construct the meaning of inclusion and related values in their leadership of comprehensive schools. We also examine how they navigate the tensions between ideological commitment to inclusion and challenges experienced in practical implementation. Drawing from Laclau and Mouffe's discourse theory, we analyzed six focus group interviews with a total of 21 principals, which revealed three major discourses allowing us to understand the phenomenon of leading inclusion and the underlying value foundation inclusion is constructed upon: constructing the meaning of inclusion with value foundations, constructing the role of teachers in promoting inclusion, and assembling the inclusive school community puzzle pieces. Our findings highlight the multi-layered nature of inclusive leadership, demonstrating how principals actively bridge different discourses by articulating concerns as part of a broader change process while maintaining a clear value-based direction for inclusive development. This study emphasizes inclusive leadership requiring a thorough understanding of inclusion that covers all aspects of diversity, not just special education. Principals should work to support the development of teachers' professional identities to promote collective responsibility and improve their skills and knowledge.