The Complexity of Social Justice and Leadership on Campuses: An Analysis of Institutional Mission Statements

Abstract

Within the United States, social justice and leadership education have immense and critical overlap, as they both share the common purpose of creating a better and more just world (Chunoo et al., 2019). This article analyzes 40 institutional mission statements that include social justice language through the culturally relevant leadership learning (CRLL) model (Beatty & Guthrie, 2021; Bertrand Jones et al., 2016). By analyzing the mission statements using the CRLL model, this article looks to see how both leadership education and social justice education are mutually mobilized to enhance student leadership learning and development. From both the content analysis and case study of these institutions, aspects of socially just leadership emerged through various environmental dimensions of campus culture and leadership identity, capacity, and efficacy. Implications will be explored on how higher education institutions can center the work of leadership education and social justice education to enhance student capacity and efficacy to engage in socially just leadership.