history

About us

The Philosophy of Education Society is an international forum that promotes the philosophic treatment of educational practice, policy and research, advances the quality of teaching the philosophy of education, and cultivates fruitful relationships between and among philosophers, philosophers of education and educators.

In November of 1940, R. Bruce Raup of Teachers College, Columbia University, circulated a letter to colleagues around the country proposing the formation of “a national group of those directly devoted to the teaching or other pursuits of philosophy of education.” Raup’s interest was in forming an association of those who were philosophers of education as a professional discipline. In his very first letter, he emphasized:

That the group consist, at least at first, of those who are philosophers of education in a technical sense, that is, possessed of working knowledge in the history of philosophy, and having given evidence of positive work done in the field; able to work with the “tools” of the field and devoted to the promotion of philosophy in and of education.

After a period of initial planning, this group convened on February 22, 1941 at the Hotel Adelphia in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The session was entitled “A Meeting of Teachers of Philosophy of Education.” At that first meeting, the name “Philosophy of Education Society” (PES) was agreed upon and an initial charter membership of thirty-four persons was identified.

Today, the membership of PES comprises hundreds of faculty, graduate students, and other interested parties from around the globe.  PES continues to host an annual conference—dedicated to the dissemination of scholarly research related to philosophy of education—at various locations throughout North America.

PES Constitution and Bylaws
PES Policies



Past Presidents

2024 AG Rud

2023 Michele Moses

2022 Ronald David Glass

2021 Kal Alston

2020 Cris Mayo

2019 Kathy Hytten

2018 René Arcilla

2017 Deborah Kerdeman

2016 Barbara Applebaum

2015 Frank Margonis

2014 Kenneth Howe

2013 Barbara Stengel

2012 Gert Biesta

2011 Eamonn Callan

2010 Audrey Thompson

2009 David Hansen

2008 Michael Katz

2007 Susan Laird

2006 Sharon Bailin

2005 Robert Floden

2004 Francis Schrag

2003 Sophie Haroutunian-Gordon

2002 Barbara Houston

2001 Nicholas Burbules

2000 James Garrison

1999 Emily Robertson

1998 Ann Diller

1997 Dwight Boyd

1996 Betty Sichel

1995 Harvey Siegel

1994 Kenneth Strike

1993 Clive Beck

1992 Nel Noddings

1991 D.C. Phillips

1990 Barbara Arnstine

1989 Walter Feinberg

1988 Mary Anne Raywid

1987 David Nyberg

1986 Jerrold Coombs

1985 Hugh Petrie

1984 CJB Macmillan

1983 Gerald Reagan

1982 George Newsome

1981 Jane Roland Martin

1980 Richard Pratte

1979 Robert Ennis

1978 Young Pai

1977 Robert Heslep

1976 Thomas Green

1975 Jonas Soltis

1974 Kingsley Price

1973 Donald Arnstine

1972 Philip Phenix

1971 Joe Park

1970 D. Bob Gowin

1969 Joe Burnett

1968 Martin Levit

1967 Maxine Greene

1966 Philip G. Smith

1965 Van Cleve Morris

1964 J. Donald Butler

1963 George E. Barton

1962 Ernest E. Bayles

1961 Robert H. Beck

1960 A. Stafford Clayton

1959 Everett Kirscher

1958 Robert J. Henle

1957 B. Othanel Smith

1956 Lawrence G. Thomas

1955 William O. Stanley

1954 Harry S. Broudy

1953 Frank C. Wegener

1952 Louise Antz

1951 Kenneth D. Benne

1950 George T. Axtelle

1949 H. Gordon Hullfish

1948 Theodore Brameld

1947 John S. Brubacher

1942 R. Bruce Raup


Kneller Lectures

2024 - Melvin Rogers

2023 - Elizabeth Anderson

2022 - Sandy Grande

2021 - Sally Haslanger

2020 - Leigh Patel

2019 - Chris Lebron

2018 - Robert Pippin

2017 - George Warnke

2016 - Linda Alcoff

2015 - Charles Mills

2014 - Alison Jagger

2013 - Ruth Leys

2012 - John Caputo

2011 - Eric Olin Wright

2010 - Lorraine Code

2009 - Paul Taylor

2008 - Richard Bernstein

2007 - Richard Shusterman

2006 - Joseph Carens

2005 - Martin Benjamin

2004 - John Kekes

2003 - Richard Shweder

2002 - Cheshire Calhoun

2001 - Iris Marion Young


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