Trapped in Perpetual Peripheral Participation: Unseen and Undiscovered Leadership Potential
- Institution: University of Johannesburg
- Institution: University of the Witwatersrand, Republic of South Africa
- Institution: University of Johannesburg
- Year of publication: 2007
- Source: Show
- Pages: 195-209
- DOI Address: https://doi.org/10.15804/tner.07.11.1.15
- PDF: tner/200701/tner1115.pdf
The present study is focussing on the leadership potential at schools that goes unnoticed, unacknowledged and un-nurtured. Traditionally, schools focus on children/learners whose leadership traits are encouraged and developed through conventional structures such as the prefect system and the leadership schools/camps that selected candidates are sent on. By developing the concept of Leadership Cocoons, this study is drawing attention to individuals whose potential for leadership lies hidden in a chrysalis form that is masked for leadership selection by pervasive, generic, norm-generated criteria. Such individuals are trapped in a situation of Perpetual Peripheral Participation around communities of leaders. As a means to explore the above issues, the paradigm of Cultural Psychology has been selected.