David Hansen
John L. & Sue Ann Weinberg Professor- Historical & Philosophical Foundations Education
212-678-8239
Office Hours: by appointment.
Expertise
- Philosophy
David Hansen
Professional Background
Educational Background
David Hansen received his Bachelor
of Arts in the history of ideas from the University of Chicago, his
Master of Arts in political economy from Stanford University, and his
Ph.D. in education from the University of Chicago. Before taking
up his current appointment at Teachers College in 2001, he was professor
in the College of Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago,
and before that a secondary school teacher and instructor in a language
arts program for teachers.
Scholarly Interests
Professor Hansen's scholarship has focused on the philosophy and practice of teaching and of teacher education, on moral and ethical dimensions of education, on the nature of values and inquiry, and related themes. He draws from thinkers across the diverse fields featured in the Philosophy and Education program, including ethics, philosophical anthropology, and foundations of education. He has studied extensively the educational thought of figures such as Plato and John Dewey. In recent years he has focused on the relations between cosmopolitanism as an outlook on the human condition and the practice of education. He is a Past-President of the John Dewey Society and of the Philosophy of Education Society.
Selected Publications
London and New York: Routledge, 2011.
* John Dewey and Our Educational Prospect: A Critical Engagement with
Dewey’s Democracy and Education. Albany: State University of New York
Press, 2006.
* Exploring the Moral Heart of Teaching: Toward a Teacher's Creed.
New York: Teachers College Press, 2001. Translated and published
(2002) as Explorando el corazon moral de la ensenanza. Barcelona:
Idea Universitaria-Educacion.
* The Call to Teach. New York: Teachers College Press, 1995.
Translated and published (2001) as Llamados a ensenar. Barcelona: Idea
Universitaria-Educacion.
honors and awards
Named a Fellow of the American Educational Research Association, 2011
Named Honorary Professor at Xiamen University, Xiamen, China, 2009
Outstanding Achievement Award, The John Dewey Society, “for contributions reflecting and extending the spirit and vision of Dewey's work,” 2007
Elected President, The Philosophy of Education Society, for 2008-2009
Choice Outstanding Academic Title, 2007, for John Dewey and Our Educational Prospect: A Critical Engagement with Dewey’s Democracy and Education (Albany: State University of New York Press, 2006)
James and Helen Merritt Distinguished Service Award for Contributions to the Philosophy of Education, 2006
Elected to the Board of Directors, National Society for the Study of Education, 2005
Elected President, The John Dewey Society, for 2003-2005
Outstanding Book, 2002, Division B (Curriculum Studies) of the American Educational Research Association, for Exploring the Moral Heart of Teaching: Toward a Teacher’s Creed (New York: Teachers College Press, 2001)
Selected by the University of Illinois as a University Scholar, 1996
Critics Choice, American Educational Studies Association, 1996, for The Call to Teach (New York: Teachers College Press, 1995)
Selected by the National Academy of Education as a Spencer Postdoctoral Fellow, 1992
A&HF 4190: American philosophies of education
Major American thinkers and outlooks and their impact on education: Thoreau, Emerson, Fuller, and transcendentalism; Pierce, James, Dewey, and pragmatism; Douglass, Du Bois, and African-American education; Anthony, Stanton, Addams, and feminism.
A&HF 4196: Identity and ideals: Visions of human flourishing
An introduction to influential philosophical perspectives on what it means to be a successful, whole, and flourishing human being. Attention to issues of personal identity and personal ideals, and how these can evolve over time.
A&HF 4900: Independent study in philosophy and education
Permission of instructor required.
A&HF 5090: The philosophy of John Dewey
For all doctoral students; masters students by permission of instructor. An analysis of the principal works of John Dewey.
A&HF 5093: Ways of knowing
For all doctoral students; master's students by permission of instructor. Readings in epistemology in the context of teaching, learning, and educational research, from classical and enlightenment sources to feminist, herm-eneutic, psychoanalytic, and postmodern critiques. Topics include objectivity and subjectivity, and problems of interpretation in the arts, humanities, and natural and social sciences.
A&HF 5591: Educational debates in philosophical perspective
For all doctoral students; master's students by permission of instructor. Topics vary. Convened to promote philosophical discussion of a contemporary educational issue (e.g., patriotism, privatization, standards, technology) or ongoing debate (e.g., liberal education, moral education, teacher education).
A&HF 5600: Colloquium in philosophy and education
For majors only. A series of formal presentations and discussions with scholars in the field of Philosophy and Education. Offered every fall and spring semester. Special fee: $55.
A&HF 6100: Doctoral proseminar: Modern philosophy and education
Permission of instructor required. For 1st and 2nd year doctoral students in Philosophy and Education. Close reading and discussion of primary texts in modern philosophy that have shaped the field of philosophy of education. Complements A&HF 6000.
A&HF 6500: Dissertation proposal workshop in philosophy and education
Permission of instructor required. Prerequisites: A&HF 6000 and A&HF 6100. An ongoing writing workshop required of all doctoral students after completion of the Proseminar sequence and until defense of the proposal. Students develop research interests, hone philosophical skills, and draft dissertation proposals. Offered every fall and spring semester.
A&HF 6590: Advanced topics in philosophy and education
For doctoral students in Philosophy and Education or by permission of instructor. Topics vary and may range from close reading of a single text, to exploration of a key concept or problematic. Past topics include: "Contemporary Theories of Democratic Education"; "The Gadamer-Habermas Debate"; and "Pedagogical Desire from Plato to Freud."
A&HF 6900: Advanced research in philosophy and education
Permission of instructor required. For doctoral students in Philosophy and Education only.
A&HF 7500: Dissertation seminar in philosophy and education
Permission of instructor required. Required of doctoral students in the semester following successful completion of the doctoral certification process or in the semester in which the student defends the dissertation proposal, whichever comes first.
A&HF 8900: Dissertation advisement in philosophy and education
Permission of instructor required. Individual advisement on doctoral dissertations. For requirements, see section in catalog on Continuous Registration for Ed.D./Ph.D. degrees. Fee to equal 3 points at current tuition rate for each term.
Centers and Projects
Website: http://www.klingenstein.org
Full-year and Two-Summer master’s programs and funded fellowships in leadership development for independent school educators. Programs serve early career teachers, mid-career administrators and heads of schools from a broad range of schools around the world. All Klingenstein Center programs focus on instructional leadership, collaboration and teamwork, a commitment to social justice and diversity, and reflective practice.
