Mediterranean Migration: From Treacherous Seas to Tortuous Roads?

Abstract

The migration of thousands of people who, every year escape conflict, repression and poor economic stability in their home country, attempt the treacherous journey across the Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe. While some do make it, questions are being posed on the effectivity of the European Union to deal with migration and explore ways of integrating migrants into society, in particular through education. The need to address the educational development of migrant learners’ calls for contextualized school leadership processes aimed at spurring teachers to hone the cultural capital brought by migrant learners in their classrooms. The authors argue in favour of culturally responsive leadership processes which (1) endorse schools as influential on society and community development, (2) detach from a ‘one-size-fits-all philosophy’ of leadership, (3) believe in the cultural capital of migrant students, (4) embrace changes in leadership styles brought about by different cultural philosophies, (5) successfully transmit to teachers that learning cannot be placed in a monocultural context and (6) advocate towards the employment of teachers whose culture reflects the cultural composition of students in their school. This chapter aims to explore what Malta, a small island state, is doing to address this mammoth task in a context fraught with uncertainty and anxiety.