Biography
In the stream of other interventions concerned to explore the meanings & malaises of modernity (modernities), I am researching and writing on the educational philosophy and practice of the Scottish-American naturalist, John Muir. I am hoping to tell a story of how Muir made sense of his own 19th and early 20th century moment, paying especial attention to the ways he navigated the tensions between modern science, religion, spirituality, and nature in order to make sense of the human condition, the human relationship with the nonhuman world, and the purpose(s) of American Conservation.
Joining disciplines of history of education, intellectual history, and philosophy of education, I hope to examine Muir in his own context, trace a reception history of his writings for environmental-educational applications, and explore how (and how not) Muir’s life and thought might speak to our present ecological crises.
Education
M.A., University of Wisconsin-Madison
M.A, Wheaton College
B.A., Grove City College
Field
- U.S.\North American History
MA Title
- “Seeing John Muir Seeing Native Americans: An Examination”
Selected Publications
- Farrelly, Matthew R. (2022) “Toward a Phenomenology of Mythopoetic Participation and the Cultivation of Environmental Consciousness in Education”, Environmental Education Research. DOI: 10.1080/13504622.2022.2131740 (ahead-of-print)
- Farrelly, M. (2019) “The Significance of Myth for Environmental Education”. Journal of Philosophy of Education. February 2019, Vol.53(1), pp.127-144. DOI: 10.1111/1467-9752.12315
Selected Awards
- “The Significance of Myth for Environmental Education” among top 10% most downloaded articles on Journal of Philosophy of Education website
- Invited to contribute to a special edition of the journal Environmental Education Research, honoring the contributions to environmental education of the philosopher of education, Michael Bonnett (final stages of review)
- McPherson Graduate Fellow 2020-2022 | The Center for Ethics & Education, Wisconsin Center for Educational Research | University of Wisconsin-Madison
Professional Affiliations
- History of Education Society (HES)| historyofeducation.org
- North American Association for Philosophy & Education (NAAPE) | naape.org
- The Association for Philosophy of Education (Special Interest Group of APA) | https://www.apaonline.org
Courses Taught as TA
- EPS/History 107: History of the University in the West
- EPS 300: The School & Society
- EPS/History 412: History of American Education
Courses Taught as Instructor
- EPS/History 107: History of the University in the West
- EPS 300: The School & Society