Joel Westheimer

Joel Westheimer is the project’s resident international adviser. He is professor of democracy and education at the University of Ottawa. He is an expert in the role of education in democratic societies, global school reform, and accountability movements. He was co-founder and executive director of Democratic Dialogue, a research collaborative dedicated to the critical exploration of democratic ideals in education and society, and currently co-directs (with John Rogers, UCLA) The Inequality Project, investigating what North American schools are teaching about economic inequality. Westheimer grew up in New York City where he taught in the New York City Public Schools. He has published more than 200 articles, book chapters, and books including the critically acclaimed What Kind of Citizen? Educating Our Children for the Common Good. He is also education columnist for CBC Radio. He is a firm believer that play benefits everyone of all ages and is playful enough to know that everyone includes university professors.