Spiritually and Ethically Oriented Women’s Leadership and Inclusive Governance at Purwojati Public Junior High School 1: A Case Study on Participation, Organizational Justice, and a Sense of Belonging Among the School Community
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53639/ijsse.v4i3.165Keywords:
Women’s Leadership, spiritual-ethical leadership;, Inclusive Governance, Organizational Justice, Sense of Belonging, Case StudyAbstract
Women still face barriers in educational leadership, while spirituality and ethics often serve as sources of legitimacy for school leaders. This study describes how a female principal at SMP Negeri 1 Purwojati practices spiritual-ethical leadership, and how school members experience participation, organizational justice, and a sense of belonging. A qualitative case study design was used. Data were collected through oral semi-structured interviews on 28 October 2026 with five informants (the principal, an administrative staff member, a teacher, and two students) and analyzed thematically. The findings show that (1) the principal understands her position as a spiritual trust (amanah) expressed through role modeling, weekly reflection, and religious activities, and responds to gender stereotypes with a structured yet humane managerial approach; (2) governance operates through deliberation, stakeholder involvement, task allocation by official decree, and rotating training opportunities; and (3) informants reported acceptance and a sense of belonging through friendly communication and space for student aspirations. The findings are contextual and have not been cross-checked with observations or school documents. This study enriches research on women’s and spiritual leadership in general schools.
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