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Negotiating for influence and resources : A study of Swedish teachers’ and principals’ experiences of aggressive emails from parents

Cowen Forssell, Rebecka ; Berthelsen, Hanne and Jönsson, Sandra LU (2024) In Educational Management, Administration & Leadership
Abstract
This article focuses on teachers’ and principals’ experiences of aggressive emails in home–school collaborations with parents. Semi-structured interviews with 31 teachers and principals from primary, lower and upper secondary schools in Sweden were conducted. Three categories were identified in the material which illuminate the phenomenon of cyberaggression towards principals and teachers from parents: ‘aggressive emails as reactions to principals and teachers’ performances’, ‘aggressive emails as a way of imposing power’ and ‘aggressive emails as a source of anxiety, loss of joy, and decreased focus on core tasks’. The study concludes that cyberaggression in emails from parents is centred around the act of negotiating and that email... (More)
This article focuses on teachers’ and principals’ experiences of aggressive emails in home–school collaborations with parents. Semi-structured interviews with 31 teachers and principals from primary, lower and upper secondary schools in Sweden were conducted. Three categories were identified in the material which illuminate the phenomenon of cyberaggression towards principals and teachers from parents: ‘aggressive emails as reactions to principals and teachers’ performances’, ‘aggressive emails as a way of imposing power’ and ‘aggressive emails as a source of anxiety, loss of joy, and decreased focus on core tasks’. The study concludes that cyberaggression in emails from parents is centred around the act of negotiating and that email communication opens up spaces for negotiation to take place. The study also concludes that email cyberaggression tends to be instrumental in character, intended to result in a specific outcome rather than to cause harm. However, cyberaggression influences professional practice and can create a vicious circle of administrative obligation. (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Educational Management, Administration & Leadership
pages
22 pages
publisher
SAGE Publications
external identifiers
  • scopus:85189133521
ISSN
1741-1432
DOI
10.1177/17411432241242263
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
fde71fbb-535f-4012-a39c-e80a2bc83b67
date added to LUP
2025-03-27 15:34:35
date last changed
2025-04-04 15:21:27
@article{fde71fbb-535f-4012-a39c-e80a2bc83b67,
  abstract     = {{This article focuses on teachers’ and principals’ experiences of aggressive emails in home–school collaborations with parents. Semi-structured interviews with 31 teachers and principals from primary, lower and upper secondary schools in Sweden were conducted. Three categories were identified in the material which illuminate the phenomenon of cyberaggression towards principals and teachers from parents: ‘aggressive emails as reactions to principals and teachers’ performances’, ‘aggressive emails as a way of imposing power’ and ‘aggressive emails as a source of anxiety, loss of joy, and decreased focus on core tasks’. The study concludes that cyberaggression in emails from parents is centred around the act of negotiating and that email communication opens up spaces for negotiation to take place. The study also concludes that email cyberaggression tends to be instrumental in character, intended to result in a specific outcome rather than to cause harm. However, cyberaggression influences professional practice and can create a vicious circle of administrative obligation.}},
  author       = {{Cowen Forssell, Rebecka and Berthelsen, Hanne and Jönsson, Sandra}},
  issn         = {{1741-1432}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{03}},
  publisher    = {{SAGE Publications}},
  series       = {{Educational Management, Administration & Leadership}},
  title        = {{Negotiating for influence and resources : A study of Swedish teachers’ and principals’ experiences of aggressive emails from parents}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/17411432241242263}},
  doi          = {{10.1177/17411432241242263}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}