Tomas de Rezende Rocha is Assistant Professor of Philosophy of Education, Justice, and Equity. His research focuses broadly on the philosophical foundations of education, with a particular emphasis on (1) the diversity of practices and traditions in Contemplative Education, (2) Latin American philosophies of education, and (3) the concepts undergirding social justice education. He has published in Harvard Educational Review, Philosophy of Education, Teachers College Record, New Directions for Teaching and Learning, Journal of School Psychology, and Lápiz.
Dr. Rocha is an active member of the Coordinating Collective and the Editorial Collective of the Latin American Philosophy of Education Society (LAPES). He also serves the Philosophy of Education Society (PES) in various capacities, including through participation in the society's membership, mentorship, and program committees. This year he is a program co-chair for the PES 2022 conference. He also serves on the executive board of the North Eastern Philosophy of Education Society (NEPES).
Dr. Rocha's teaching and writing draws from diverse traditions of educational philosophy and includes influential thinkers such as Plato, Aristotle, Laozi, Gautama Buddha, the pre-conquest Aztecs (via Miguel León-Portilla), Sor Juana Inés de La Cruz, José Carlos Mariátegui, Aimé Césaire, Gabriela Mistral, W. E. B. Du Bois, John Dewey, Paulo Freire, Hannah Arendt, Patricia Hill Collins, bell hooks, Charles Mills, and Maxine Greene, among various other thinkers. Before joining the University of Washington, Dr. Rocha taught courses at Columbia University and Fordham University.
Currently Teaching
EDLPS 525: Introduction to Educational Inquiry - Part One (Autumn quarter)
EDLPS 526: Introduction to Educational Inquiry - Part Two (Winter quarter)
EDLPS 520: Education as a Moral Endeavor (Winter quarter) **
EDLPS 521: Philosophies of Education (Spring quarter) **
EDLPS 579: EDFLP Master's Professional Seminar (All quarters)
** Both EDLPS 520 and EDLPS 521 fulfill the 'Education Courses' requirement for the Certificate of Mastery in Philosophy for Children, which is administered by the UW Center for Philosophy for Children and connected to the UW Department of Philosophy.
Philosophy of Education Resources
Academic Communities
Philosophy of Education Society (PES)
Philosophy of Education Society of Great Britain (PESGB)
Philosophy of Education Society of Australasia (PESA)
Canadian Philosophy of Education Society (CPES)
North Eastern Philosophy of Education Society (NEPES)
Ohio Valley Philosophy of Education Society (OVPES)
Southeast Philosophy of Education Society (SEPES)
American Educational Research Association - Philosophical Studies in Education SIG
Latin American Philosophy of Education Society (LAPES)
Asociación Latinoamericana de Filosofia de la Educación (ALFE)
Sociedade Brasileira de Filosofia da Educação (SBFE)
Centers and Programs
The Center for Ethics & Education - University of Wisconsin-Madison
Justice in Schools - Harvard Graduate School of Education
Center for Philosophy for Children - University of Washington
National High School Ethics Bowl (NHSEB)
Philosophy Learning and Teaching Organization (PLATO)
Portal de Filosofia e Educação (PFE)
Note: This list is a living document and does not reflect the full range of communities, programs, and resources dedicated to the philosophy of education. Please contact me with suggestions for links to add.
Education
Ph.D. in Philosophy and Education, Teachers College, Columbia University, 2020
M.Phil. in Politics, Development and Democratic Education, University of Cambridge, 2013
B.A. in Education Studies, Brown University, 2011