Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Melanie C. Brooks is a Senior Lecturer in Educational Leadership in the Faculty of Education at Monash University. She is a J. William Fulbright Senior Scholar grant recipient to the Philippines and has conducted research in Australia, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, the United States, and Egypt. Her areas of expertise include school leadership, religion, culture, and conflict. At the centre of her work is an exploration of how school leaders are shaped by equity dynamics in their schools and communities.
Dr Brooks is the author of Education and Muslim Identity During a Time of Tension: Inside an American Islamic School, published by Routledge in 2019. Based on focus groups, interviews, and observations collected over a two year period, the reader learns about a dynamic and growing Muslim community and their educational efforts to develop in their students a unique American Muslim identity. This engaging book offers a much-needed counter narrative to dominant anti-Muslim discourses prevelant in Western societies today.
Dr Brooks' articles are published in leading education research journals, including Educational Administration Quarterly, Journal of Educational Administration, Teachers College Record, International Journal of Educational Management, International Journal of Leadership in Education, Educational Management Administration and Leadership, Religion and Education, and Educational Policy.
Dr Brooks is co-editor of three books, Urban Educational Leadership for Social Justice: International Perspectives (with Jeff Brooks) and Critical Perspectives of Black Education: Spirituality, Religion and Social Justice (with Noelle Witherspoon-Arnold), and the forthcomming Globalization, Neoliberalism, and Education: Teaching, Learning and Leading int he World Schoolhouse (with Anthony Normore, Jeffrey Brooks, and Nicola Sum). She has also contributed chapters to scholarly edited monographs and written several entries for reference works.
In 2019 she was awarded the "Bridge People" Award, in the Leadership for Social Justice Special Interest Group at the American Educational Research Association's (AERA) annual meeting for her work “creating a bridge between themselves and others” through scholarship and research.
Research interests
School leadership, management, and administration
Islamic school leadership and Islamic schooling
Religion and education
Education and culture
Education and ethno-religious conflict
Qualitative research methodology
Education/Academic qualification
International and Multicultural Education, Ph.D., Florida State University
Award Date: 1 Aug 2009
Library Science, M.L.S., University of Missouri Columbia
Award Date: 1 Jun 2003
Curriculum & Instruction, M.Ed., University of Missouri Columbia
Award Date: 1 Jun 2001
English, B.A., University of Missouri Columbia
Award Date: 1 Aug 1994
Research area keywords
- Education leadership, management, and administration
- Southeast Asia
- Education and culture
- Qualitative research methodology
- Religion and education
- Islamic schooling
- Islamic school leadership
Network
Projects
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The Social Ventures Australia Bright Spots Schools Connection: Improving Education Through Social Networks
Brooks, M., Sum, N., Brooks, J. & Daly, A.
1/09/20 → 31/08/21
Project: Research
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Islamic Schooling in Australia and Indonesia: A Collaborative Documentary Film
Brooks, M., Brooks, J., Sanjakdar, F., Taufiq, I. & Mutohar, A.
1/07/19 → 1/07/21
Project: Research
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Professional Development Program for Indonesian School Principal and Supervisors - Cohort 1, 2019
4/03/19 → 15/03/19
Project: Consultancy
Research output
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Islam and the schoolhouse: how principals can understand and support their Muslim students, teachers, and families
Brooks, M. C., 2021, The School Leadership Survival Guide: What to Do When Things Go Wrong, How To Learn from Mistakes, and Why You Should Prepare for The Worst. Brooks, J. S. & Heffernan, A. (eds.). 1st ed. Charlotte NC USA: Information Age Publishing, p. 331-345 15 p. (Leadership, Schools, and Change).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (Book) › Other › peer-review
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Components of linguistically and culturally responsive school leadership
Berry, J. R., Robertson, S. & Brooks, M., 2020, Multiculturalism and Multilingualism at the Crossroads of School Leadership: Exploring Leadership Theory, Policy, and Practice for Diverse Schools. Veenis, J. C., Robertson, S. & Berry, J. R. (eds.). 1st ed. Cham Switzerland: Springer, p. 231-225 13 p. (Policy Implications of Research in Education; vol. 11).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (Book) › Other › peer-review
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Principals as socio-religious curators: progressive and conservative approaches in Islamic schools
Brooks, M. C., Brooks, J. S., Mutohar, A. & Taufiq, I., 2020, In : Journal of Educational Administration. 58, 6, p. 677-695 19 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
1 Citation (Scopus) -
Teaching jihad: developing religious literacy through graphic novels
Brooks, M. C., Cutler, K. D., Sanjakdar, F. & Liou, D. D., Nov 2020, In : Religions . 11, 11, p. 1-16 16 p., 622.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
Culturally (ir)relevant school leadership: ethno-religious conflict and school administration in the Philippines
Brooks, M. C. & Brooks, J. S., 2019, In : International Journal of Leadership in Education. 22, 1, p. 6-29 24 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
3 Citations (Scopus)
Prizes
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Jeffrey V. Bennett Honorable Mention for Outstanding International Research
Brooks, Melanie (Recipient), 2017
Prize: National/international honour
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Activities
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Association of Professional Development on Educational Administration of Thailand
Melanie Brooks (Organiser)
5 Mar 2021Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to conference
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Virtual Conference on Islamic Studies Today
Melanie Brooks (Keynote/plenary speaker)
19 Nov 2020Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to conference
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UIN Walisongo University Semerang Indonesia
Fida Sanjakdar (Visiting researcher) & Melanie Brooks (Visiting researcher)
28 Feb 2020Activity: Visiting an external institution types › Visiting an external academic institution
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International Conference on Education 2020
Fida Sanjakdar (Keynote/plenary speaker) & Melanie Brooks (Keynote/plenary speaker)
4 Apr 2020Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to conference
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Islamic education in Australia: Australian Muslim students and wellbeing based on al-afia
Melanie Brooks (Contributor) & Fida Sanjakdar (Contributor)
26 Feb 2020Activity: Community Talks, Presentations, Exhibitions and Events › Public lecture/debate/seminar
Press / Media
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Education and extremism in Indonesia: Building a more tolerant future through schools
19/12/18
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Article/Feature
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Education and extremism in Indonesia: Building a more tolerant future through schools
19/12/18
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Article/Feature
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"Being wholly Muslim and wholly American": Exploring one Islamic school's efforts to educate against extremism
17/08/18
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Research
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