Teacher leadership in the Arab states: A systematic review

Abstract

This systematic review critically examines the empirical literature on teacher leadership (TL) in the Arab States published between 2000 and 2025. Drawing on 30 peer-reviewed studies, the review investigates how TL is conceptualized, enacted, and situated within diverse institutional and cultural contexts across the region. Through thematic analysis, six interrelated themes emerged: (1) the mediating influence of school structures; (2) the interplay between teacher agency, voice, and identity; (3) leadership amid crisis and instability; (4) connections to professional learning and school improvement; (5) emerging modalities of informal and virtual leadership; and (6) issues of equity, inclusion, and marginalization. While the studies reflect a growing interest in TL, they remain largely informed by Western-based conceptual frameworks—some explicitly, others implicitly—without critical engagement with local educational philosophies or cultural traditions. The review notes that global paradigms, particularly those associated with neoliberal and McDonaldized logics, subtly shape how TL is framed, often emphasizing efficiency, role clarity, and institutional alignment. At the same time, Arab-Islamic concepts and values are conspicuously absent from the literature. This gap reveals an urgent need for a contextually grounded and culturally resonant reconceptualization of TL that affirms the identities, values, and ethical traditions of the Arab world.