Analysing power dynamics in teachers’ understanding of policies through storytelling about refugees in the East Midlands region

Hewitt, Shirley

Abstract

The aim of this thesis was to use storytelling to determine how five teachers in the East Midlands assimilated conflicting discourses into practice and whether they aligned policy with personal and professional beliefs, ultimately identifying if they felt that they could influence change through challenge. This thesis has focused on the period between November 2020 and April 2022 which saw a plethora of policy and legislation relating to refugees. It was not possible to assess the outcomes of some policies which were being legally contested after April 2022. Nevertheless, the empirical focus was to analyse representations and problematisations in policy development (Bacchi, 2009) during this period in conjunction with the five teachers’ narrative accounts.

Three themes were identified:

1. A deficit model of need focusing on negative attributes of refugees, rather than affirming existing qualities.

2. The use of wide-ranging ‘inclusion’ policies to meet specific needs, particularly in schools. Future research into the allegiance of teachers to inclusive principles would provide additional evidence.

3. Theoretical challenge (with potential for tangible challenge) to discourse, policy and practice when using small story narratives and story completion (Clarke et al., 2019). Teachers’ emotional responses to hypothetical refugee stories were seen to underpin challenge which also appeared to support personal development, evaluation of practice, and increased agency. It is postulated that teachers can achieve deeper reflections and thus develop agency, using story narratives in continuing professional development. The final theme has the potential to support change and challenge by providing opportunity to question prevailing discourses and this research provides a method which allows practitioners to contemplate challenge through storytelling, suggesting that creating opportunities for teachers to debate scenarios within a supportive environment would be advantageous in advancing wider understanding and informing professional practice.

Citation

Hewitt, S. Analysing power dynamics in teachers’ understanding of policies through storytelling about refugees in the East Midlands region. (Thesis). Keele University. Retrieved from https://keele-repository.worktribe.com/output/1012522

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Dec 5, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 19, 2024
• Public URL: https://keele-repository.worktribe.com/output/1012522
• Additional Information: Digital copy of full text version available upon request from the Archives https://forms.office.com/e/sRWE7eQWgU - third party copyright content preventing thesis being published online.
• Award Date: 2024-12