Democracy and Education

Editor Biographies

Scott Fletcher is the dean of the Graduate School of Education and Counseling at Lewis & Clark in Portland, Oregon. He earned his B.A. in philosophy from Ripon College in 1981, his M.A. in social and political philosophy from the University of Wisconsin at Madison in 1985, and his Ph.D. in the social foundations of education from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1997. His scholarly work addresses a wide range of issues in the philosophy of education, curriculum theory, teacher preparation, and environmental education. His first book, Education and Emancipation: Theory and Practice in a New Constellation, won the American Educational Studies Association’s Critic's Choice Award in 2001. In addition to his academic appointments, Dr. Fletcher has been actively involved in educational policy and school reform initiatives at the local, state, and national level. He has worked with the Coalition of Essential Schools and the Annenberg Institute for School Reform, and he cofounded the Michigan CES center.

Liza Finkel is an Associate Professor of Education in the Lewis & Clark Graduate School of Education and Counseling in the Department of Teacher Education, where she teaches in and serves as the Director of the Secondary MAT Program. She earned her B.S. in geology from George Washington University, her M.S. in geology from the University of Michigan, and her Ph.D. in science education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research is focused on improving the quality of high school and undergraduate science teaching with a particular focus on increasing the number of students from under-represented minority groups who choose and succeed in careers in science (including science teaching). She has also studied the challenges of using inquiry-based science teaching strategies with diverse groups of students and has conducted research on student problem-solving strategies in inquiry-based classrooms. Liza has taught middle and high school science (including classes in Earth science, chemistry, physical science and environmental science) at a small private school in St. Louis, Missouri and at a large public school in rural Maine.

Peter J. Nelsen is a professor at Appalachian State University in North Carolina where he teaches courses in philosophy of education. He holds a B.A. in English, a master’s in experiential education, and a PhD in philosophy of education from the University of New Hampshire. He has been an adventure educator, a public high school teacher, a director of an alternative high school program, and an educational consultant for a non-profit experiential education training organization. His scholarly work addresses a range of issues in philosophy of education, especially the intersections of the epistemological and moral dimensions of schooling with social justice education.

Sarah Stitzlein is a professor of curriculum theory at the University of Cincinnati. As a philosopher of education, she explores and clarifies key concepts within and purposes of education from the perspective of social and political philosophy. She is especially interested in issues of political agency, educating for democracy, and equality in schools. She pays special attention to how these issues play out in the intended and unintended curriculum.