College of Education and Human Development

Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development

Karen Seashore

  • Regents Professor Emerita, Beck Chair of Ideas in Education

Karen Seashore

Areas of interest

Organizational Behavior
Knowledge Utilization
Sociology of Education
Leadership

Degrees

Ph.D., Columbia University, sociology
B.A., Swarthmore College, history

Biography

Profile

My research centers on school improvement and reform, school effectiveness, leadership in school settings, and the politics of knowledge use in education. Current projects include research-practice collaboration and the application of positive psychology to larger social settings.

Professional Affiliations

Publications

Walls, J. & Louis, K.S. (in press) School Leadership and the Politics of Belonging: Auto- photographic Perspectives on “Fitting in” at School. AERA Open.

Ryu, J., Walls, J. and Seashore Louis, K. (2022), "Caring school leadership, school context and organizational learning: implications for developing professional capital", Journal of Professional Capital and Community, 7(3), pp. 209-227. doi.org/10.1108/JPCC-07-2021-0039

Louis, K.S. (2022) String theory and knots: A 50 year journey through organizational studies. Journal of Educational Administration. (available on line)

Banwo, B., Khalifa, M., & Louis, K.S. (2021) Exploring trust: Culturally responsive and positive school leadership. Journal of Educational Administration. (available on line)

Ryu, J., Wall, J. & Louis, K.S. (2020) Caring Leadership: The Role of Principals in Producing Caring School Cultures. Journal of Educational Leadership and Policy. doi.org/10.1080/15700763.2020.1811877

Smylie, M., Murphy, J.F. & Louis, K.S. (2020) Caring Leadership: A Book of Stories. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Lee, M. & Louis, K.S. (2019) Mapping a strong school culture and linking it to sustainability. Teaching and Teacher Education, 81(May), 84-96.

Smylie, M., Murphy, J.F. & Louis, K.S. (2019) Caring school leadership. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Thessin, R & Louis, K.S. (Eds) (2019) Special Issue: The role of districts and other agencies in supporting school leaders’ instructional leadership. Journal of Educational Administration, 57(5).

Zenk, L., & Louis, K.S. (2018) Mission as metaphor: Reconceptualizing how leaders utilize institutional mission. Teachers College Record, 120(9) (online).

Louis, K. S., & Khalifa, M. (2018). Understanding and improving urban secondary schools: the role of individual and collective agency. Journal of Educational Administration, 56(5), 446-454.

Louis, K.S. & Murphy, J.F. (2018) The potential of positive scool leadership for school improvement: A cross-disciplinary synthesis. Nordic Journal of Comparative and International Education, 2(2-3), 165-180.

Murphy, J.F. & Louis, K.S. (2018) Positive school leadership: Building Capacity and Strengthening Relationships. New York: Teachers College Press.

Palmer, E. L. & Louis, K.S. (2017) Talking about race: Overcoming fear in the process of change. Journal of School Leadership, 27(1), pp. 581-611.

Tkachenko, O. & Louis, K.S. (2017) Re-shaping the faculty: Contradictions in the emergence and development of “permanent-contingent” roles. International Journal of Higher Education, (6)1, 240-252.

Louis, K.S. & Murphy, J. (2017) Trust, caring and organizational learning: The leader’s role. Journal of Educational Administration. 55(1), 103-126.

Louis, K.S. (2017) Politics, advocacy, and research: What have we learned and what remains? Peabody Journal of Education. 92(1), 141-147.

Presentations

Louis, K.S. (2019) Positive School Leadership: From Theory to Practice. Keynote, Lideres Educativos International Conference, University of Chile - Santiago (August).

Louis, K.S. (2019) String Theory and Knots: A Personal Journey through OT. Invited talk, Organizational Theory Special Interest Group, American Education Research Association Annual Meeting, Toronto, CN, April 2019

Louis, K.S. (2019) Positive School Leadership: Implications for School Effectiveness and School Improvement. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the International Congress for School Effectiveness and School Improvement, Stavanger, Norway (January)

Louis, K.S. (2018) Leadership Perspectives From Positive Organizational Research in the U.S. European Conference on Educational Research (ECER), Bolzano, Italy. (September)

Ryu, J., Louis, K.S. & Walls, J. (2018) Caring Leaders and Caring Teachers: The stories of two school leaders, UCEA, Houston.

Louis, K.S. (2018) Positive School Leadership: A Social Development Perspective. Invited talk, Texas A&M University, November 1.

Louis, K.S. (2018) Leadership for Equity and Student Success: A Relational Perspective. Invited speech, Cal Poly Pomona State University, June 30.

Louis, K.S. & Murphy, J. F. (2018) Positive Leadership and Organizational Impacts: A Cross-Disciplinary Synthesis. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association. New York City, April

Lee, M. & Louis, K.S. (2018) Linking a Strong School Culture to Sustainable School Improvement. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association. New York City, April

Louis, K.S., Ryu, J. & Walls, J. (2018) Leadership and Well-Being: Perspectives from Positive Organizational Research in the United States. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association. New York City, April

Lee, M. & Louis, K.S. (2017) Group dominance, faultlines, conflict and professional community. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the University Council for Educational Administration. Denver, November.

Louis, K.S., Khalifa, M., & Ryu, J. (2017) Improving secondary schools: New perspectives. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the University Council for Educational Administration. Denver, November.

Louis, K.S. (2017) Linking leadership to learning: Research, policy and practice. Kristensund, Norway, October 19

Louis, K.S. (2017) Whose schools? Framing the narrative around the district role. Presentation to school in Norway. Oslo, October 17.

Louis, K.S. (2017) Positive Leadership and Its Potential for School Improvement: A Cross-Disciplinary Synthesis. Invited Keynote Address, Nordic Conference on School Leadership. Oslo, October 18.

Louis, K.S. (2017) Creating caring schools: Preliminary findings and perspectives. Seminar, University of Canberra, Australia. March 17.

Louis, K.S. (2017) Collaborative partnerships for school improvement. Invited public lecture, University of Canberra, Australia. March 14.

Louis, K.S. (2017) Public values and education: Redefining the role of schools and schooling. Invited lecture, Tohoko University, Japan. February 22.

Louis, K.S. (2017) Collaborative partnerships for school improvement. Invited talk, Joetsu University, Japan February 19

Louis, K.S. (2017) Collaborative partnerships for school improvement: Framing the narrative. Keynote address, International Congress for School Effectiveness and School Improvement, Ottowa, CA: January 6.

Louis, K.S. (2016) Thinking about complex contexts in ways that might make a difference. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the University Council for Educational Administration.

Louis, K.S. (2016) Leadership for social equity and justice in a volatile world (invited seminar), Institute for Education, University College, London.

Louis, K.S. (2016) The role of school leadership for equity and caring cultures. Workshop presented at the German-American Seminar, American Educational Research Association, Washington, D.C.

Zenk, L., & Louis, K.S. (2016) Mission as metaphor: Reconceptualizing how leaders use institutional mission. Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association, Washington, D.C.

Tkarchenko, O. & Louis, K.S. (2016) An investigation of the science teams development through the lens of cultural-historical activity theory. Paper presented at the European Group for Organizational Studies, Naples, IT.

Louis, K.S., Murphy, J., & Smylie, M. (2016) Trust/respect, caring and organizational learning in schools: The principal’s role . Paper presented at the International Congress for School Effectiveness and School Improvement, Glasgow, Scotland.

Florek, A., Louis, K.S. & van Velzen, B (2016) Leadership for changing times: models for public sector practice. Symposium presented at the International Congress for School Effectiveness and School Improvement, Glasgow, Scotland

Updated November 7, 2022