Zeus Leonardo has published numerous articles and book chapters on critical social thought in education. His articles have appeared in Educational Researcher; Race, Ethnicity, and Education; Teachers College Record; and Educational Philosophy and Theory. Some of his essays include: "Critical Social Theory and Transformative Knowledge," "The Souls of White Folk," "The Color of Supremacy," "Contracting Race," and "Dis-orienting Western Knowledge." His most recent books are Race, Whiteness, and Education (Routledge), Race Frameworks (Teachers College Press), Education and Racism (with Grubb, Routledge, 2nd ed), and he is the editor the Handbook of Cultural Politics and Education (SensePublishers).
Professor Leonardo's current research interests involve the study of ideologies and discourses in education with respect to structural relations of power. Much of his work is interdisciplinary and draws insights from sociology, contemporary philosophy, and cultural studies. In particular, he engages critical theories to inform his analysis of the relationship between schooling and social relations, such as race, class, culture, and gender. His research is informed by the premise that educational knowledge should promote the democratization of schools and society. He is an Affiliated Faculty Member of the Critical Theory Designated Emphasis at UC Berkeley. He is finishing a book on Edward Said and Education, to appear in Routledge's Key Ideas Book Series.
Publications
Recent Books
Harris, A. and Leonardo, Z. (2018). Intersectionality, race-gender subordination, and education. Review of Research in Education, 42, 1-27.
Leonardo, Z. (2016). Tropics of whiteness: Metaphor and the literary turn in White Studies. Whiteness and Education, 1(1), 3-14.
Leonardo, Z. and Manning, L. (2015). White historical activity theory: Toward a critical understanding of white zones of proximal development. Race Ethnicity & Education, 20(1), 15-29.
Leonardo, Z. (2013). The story of schooling: Critical race theory and the educational racial contract. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 34(4), 599-610.
Leonardo, Z. (2012). The 2011 R. Freeman Butts Lecture. The race for class: Reflections on a critical raceclass theory of education. Educational Studies, 48(5), 427-449.
Leonardo, Z. and Porter, R. (2010). Pedagogy of fear: Toward a Fanonian theory of "safety" in race dialogue. Race Ethnicity & Education, 13(2), 139-157.
Interests and Professional Affiliations
Cultural Studies
Democratic Education
Diversity
Ethnic Issues
Minorities
Multicultural Education
Designated Emphasis in Critical Theory, UC Berkeley
