Sarah M Stitzlein, Ph.D. Philosophy of Education

Please view my personal website, which includes additional and more recent publications and information about current projects.

I am a Distinguished Research Professor at the University of Cincinnati.  My primary appointment is in Education and I am also an affiliate faculty member in Philosophy and in the Portman Center for Policy Solutions.  As a philosopher of education, I use political philosophy to address pressing problems in schools and democracy. Most recently, those involve matters of censorship, polarization, populism, honesty, and political dissent.  I am especially interested in issues of political agency, youth civic engagement, and educating for democracy in schools.  I craft policies and practices aimed at improving citizenship education and helping citizens navigate contentious political situations across party lines.

I am Senior Editor of the journal, Democracy & Education.  I served as President of the Ohio Valley Philosophy of Education Society and the John Dewey Society.

I have received the University of Cincinnati Distinguished Research Profesor Award, Jack Twyman Award for Service Learning, the Distinguished Teaching Award, and Golden Apple awards.  At my previous university, I earned the University of New Hampshire Outstanding Professor award.  I am also the recipient of the American Association of University Women Postdoctoral Research Fellowship and the National Endowment for the Humanities Teaching Development Fellowship. 

Philosophy of Education, Ph.D.: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 2005

2005 -2007 VIsiting Assistant Professor, Departments of Educational Leadership and Women's Studies, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio

2007 -2012 Assistant and Associate Professor, Departments of Education and Women's Studies, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire

2012 -2017 Associate Professor, Curriculum Theory, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio

2017 - Professor of Education, Affiliate Faculty in Philosophy, University of Cincinnati,

Investigators:Stitzlein, Sarah 06-01-2015 -08-31-2016 Spencer Foundation Revitalizing Public Schools with Citizen Responsibility Role:PI $35,176.00 Awarded Level:Private Non-Profit

Grant: #46501 Investigators:Stitzlein, Sarah 01-01-2016 -12-31-2016 John Templeton Foundation Non-Residential Fellowship Role:PI $46,352.00 Active Level:Private Non-Profit

Grant: #582K304 Investigators:Stitzlein, Sarah 01-01-2017 -10-31-2017 Spencer Foundation HOPE IN DEMOCRACY AND EDUCATION Role:PI $39,986.00 Awarded Level:Private Non-Profit

Published Books

Sarah M. Stitzlein (2017). American Public Education and the Responsibility of its Citizens: Supporting Democracy in an Age of Accountability. New York, Oxford University Press.

Book website

Sarah M. Stitzlein (2012). Teaching for Dissent: Citizenship Education and Political Activism. New York, Routledge.

Sarah M. Stitzlein (2008). Breaking Bad Habits of Race and Gender: Transforming Identity in Schools. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.

Sarah M. Stitzlein (2020). Reviving Hope in Democracy: Teaching Hope and Overcoming Despair. New York, Oxford University Press.

Free open access book

Stitzlein, Sarah M. (2024). Teaching Honesty in a Populist Era: Emphasizing Truth in the Education Of Citizens. Oxford University Press.

Teaching Honesty in a Populist Era

Book Chapter

Stitzlein, Sarah M. (2021). Defining and Implementing Civic Reasoning and Discourse: Philosophical and Moral Foundations for Research and Practice. In Educating for Civic Reasoning & Discourse,. National Academy of Education

Technical Reports

Stitzlein, Sarah M. (2020) Using Civic Participation and Civic Reasoning to Shape our Future and Education .United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization Educational Futures. Part of the International Commission on the Futures of Education chaired by the President of Ethiopia,

2012 Joyce Gibbs Women's Studies Award

2011 University of New Hampshire Outstanding Professor

2011 -2012 American Association of University Women Postdoctoral Research Fellowship

2011 -2012 NSF Noyce Scholarship Program Grant

2011 Center for the Humanities Faculty Fellowship

2009 American Educational Studies Critics Choice Book Award

2006 Miami University Greek System Honored Professor

2003 American Educational Research Association Mentor Award

2010 National Endowment for the Humanities Teaching Development Fellowship

2018 Excellence in Teaching Award

2022 James and Helen Merritt Distinguished Service Award for Contributions in Philosophy of Education

2022 Society for Professors of Education Outstanding Book Award

2020 Sarah Grant Barber for Outstanding Faculty Advisor (university wide award)

2018 Carnegie Fellowship, National Finalist

2022 National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Stipend

-2023 Jack Twyman Award for Service-Learning

-2024 John Dewey Society Outstanding Achievement Award

-2024 North American Association for Philosophy & Education and the Theory & Research in Education Book Prize

-2025 George Orwell Award

-2026 UC Distinguished Research Professor Award

610-F Teachers College
2612 University Circle
CIncinnati  Ohio, 45221
Phone: 513-556-2439
Sarah.Stitzlein@uc.edu