Joel Westheimer is a full professor in the Faculty of Education, former University Research Chair in Democracy and Education, and education columnist for CBC Radio's Ottawa Morning show. He is an elected member of the prestigious U.S. National Academy of Education and a fellow of the American Educational Research Association. He received his PhD from Stanford University and his BSE from Princeton University. He is co-founder and executive director of Democratic Dialogue, a research collaborative dedicated to the critical exploration of democratic ideals in education and society. Westheimer's books include What Kind of Citizen? Educating Our Children for the Common Good (2nd edition); Pledging Allegiance: The Politics of Patriotism in America's Schools (foreword by the late Howard Zinn), and the critically acclaimed Among Schoolteachers: Community, Autonomy and Ideology in Teachers' Work. He publishes widely in newspapers, magazines and scholarly journals and addresses radio and television audiences on shows such as Good Morning America, More to Life, The Agenda, NBC TV News, C-Span, NPR, and CBC. He is recipient of the Canadian Education Association's Whitworth Award and Knight Fellow for Civic Engagement in Higher Education. Professor Westheimer grew up in New York City where he was also a public school teacher. Before moving to Ottawa, he taught at Stanford University and at New York University. He lives with his wife and two children in Ottawa where, in Winter, he ice-skates to and from work. Learn more about his research at Joel Westheimer.org.
Joel Westheimer
Profile
Books
Westheimer, J. (2024).What Kind of Citizen? Educating Our Children for the Common Good, Second edition
Westheimer, J. (2017). Among School Teachers: Community, Autonomy and Ideology in Teachers' Work
Westheimer, J. (2015). What Kind of Citizen? Educating Our Children for the Common Good, First edition
Westheimer, J. (2007). Pledging Allegiance: The Politics of Patriotism in American's Schools
Journals & other
Westheimer, J. (2022). Can Teacher Education Save Democracy? Teachers College Record, 124(3), 42–60.
Ayers, W., Ayers, R. & Westheimer, J. (2021). Curriculum of Social Movements, Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Education.
Westheimer, J. (2020). Can Education Transform the World?, Kappa Delta Pi Record, 56, 6-12.
Full list of publications and other scholarly contributions.
Research interests
- Social studies education
- Citizenship education
- Social justice
- Politics and education