Dialogic Self-Reflection by School Principals and the Development of Projects for a Culture of Peace

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.51572102614054

• Palavras-chave: school leadership; cultural psychology; culture of peace; semiotic cultural psychology; dialogical self.

• Keywords: school leadership; cultural psychology; culture of peace; semiotic cultural psychology; dialogical self.

• Abstract:

  This study investigates the development of the dialogic self-  (Hermans, 2001; Hermans & Meijers, 2018) among school principals in the context of a culture of peace, exploring how these professionals mobilize personal resources to implement innovative projects. Given that public school principals generally assume their positions without specific training, the research examines how they come to be constituted as mediators of peace-oriented educational processes in the school context. The analysis is grounded in Cultural Semiotic Psychology (Valsiner, 2012, 2024) , which conceives of the self as a dynamic and interactive process between the subject and culture. The qualitative methodology involved case studies; here, we analyze the case of a school principal engaged in culture of peace projects, focusing on his positions and life trajectory. The research highlights that school leadership is not limited to institutional strategies but includes subjective transformations and narratives that can enable new practices and social relationships. The culture of peace is conceived as an active and creative process in which principals act as strategic agents in promoting inclusive and democratic educational environments. Preliminary findings indicate that dynamic self-conceptions are shaped by structural and emotional challenges, requiring ongoing professional development and institutional support. We conclude that understanding the psychological processes underlying school leadership can contribute to the improvement of public policies aimed at fostering a culture of peace in schools. A research agenda, as well as public policies and training programs for school administrators, are presented and discussed at the end.