Narratives of justifications: politics of privilege among Palestinian elite school principals in Israel

This paper examines how principals of church-affiliated elite schools for Palestinian citizens of Israel justify educational privilege. While elite schooling is often associated with dominant groups, these schools operate at the intersection of emerging Palestinian elites and national marginalization. Drawing on qualitative interviews with 15 principals, we identify three forms of justification. First, schools are portrayed as spaces for nurturing aspirational capital and sustaining hope. Second, they are framed as compensatory institutions that address the failures of the public education system. Third, they are positioned as guardians of Christian religious and cultural identity. Across these justifications, principals frame their schools not only as sites of excellence but also as spaces of resistance against systemic inequality. In doing so, they articulate a form of resistant capital that creates and sustains community resilience and hope. This study offers new insights into how educational privilege is negotiated among minoritized elites navigating complex dynamics.