The Emotional Labour of Swedish Principals in Structurally Disadvantaged Areas

In this chapter, we use the theory of practice architectures and the concepts of emotional labour to examine principals’ professional practices in elementary schools located in low socio-economic status areas in Sweden. The results draw on two data sources (a) recorded peer-dialogues from a long-term network collaboration between principals and researchers, and (b) principals’ written testimonies describing critical incidents (N = 25). Our findings show how external practices in the local neighbourhood affect the school site and, in particular the leading practices. The principals navigate, learn, and demonstrate—to themselves and to others (e.g. teachers and the local education authority [LEA])—how to go on, grounded in their emotional labour. The results suggest that principals’ emotional labour must be understood as a crucial aspect of their professional practice—at times experienced as an emotional burden, yet also as an important form of site-based practice knowledge that gives their work meaning and joy.