Joshua Forstenzer

BA, MA, PhD (University of Sheffield), FHEA, FRSA

School of History, Philosophy and Digital Humanities

Senior Lecturer in Philosophy

Co-Director of the Centre of Engaged Philosophy

Joshua Forstenzer stood outside HRI building
Profile picture of Joshua Forstenzer stood outside HRI building
j.i.forstenzer@sheffield.ac.uk
9 Mappin Street

Full contact details

Joshua Forstenzer
School of History, Philosophy and Digital Humanities
9 Mappin Street
Sheffield
S1 4DT
Profile

I am a Senior Lecturer in Philosophy and Co-Director of the . I work mostly on John Dewey, the tradition of American pragmatism, democratic education, and other related topics. My work has been supported by the British Academy, the Yale Centre for Faith and Culture, and Higher Education Innovation Funding. My research and teaching are driven by the sense that philosophy, at its best, can operate across disciplinary boundaries and engage meaningfully with public concerns. I have held visiting and residency roles at the Harvard Kennedy School, Tufts' College of Civic Life, the European Parliament, and in civic organisations in the UK and in France.

Research interests

My research interests are in American Pragmatism, Philosophy of Education, and Social and Political Philosophy. My first book, Deweyan Experimentalism and the Problem of Method in Political Philosophy (Routledge, 2019) addresses the relevance of John Dewey's philosophy for contemporary social and political philosophy. I have also published papers on Dewey's democratic ideal, theories of citizen disengagement, Richard Rorty's ethnocentric liberalism, the benefits of philosophical education, and epistemic vice in higher education policy.

My current projects address the role of gratitude in Cornel West's prophetic pragmatism, the significance of 'consummatory experiences' in undergraduate education, and the civic benefits of philosophical education. In particular, Dr Vachararutai Boontinand and I were awarded a British Academy Newton Advanced Fellowship and a Thailand Research Fund grant to undertake a project entitled 'Philosophical Enquiry as a Pedagogy for Teaching Critical Thinking and Democratic Citizenship in Higher Education' (2018-2021).


 

Publications

Books

  • Forstenzer J (2019) Deweyan Experimentalism and the Problem of Method in Political Philosophy. Abingdon: Routledge.
  • Forstenzer J, Demissie F & Boontinand V () . Routledge.

Journal articles

  • Forstenzer J (2025) . Educational Theory, 75(2), 171-187.
  • Boontinand V & Forstenzer J (2025) . Educational Philosophy and Theory, 57(7), 688-701.
  • Forstenzer J (2024) Foreword. Nurturing ‘Difficult Conversations’ in Education: Empowerment, Agency and Social Justice in the UK, xviii-xxii.
  • Forstenzer J, Demissie F & Boontinand V (2024) Afterword. The Pedagogy of the Community of Philosophical Enquiry as Citizenship Education: Global Perspectives on Talking Democracy into Action, 213-214.
  • de La Ferrière A & Forstenzer J (2023) . Journal of Philosophy in Schools, 10(1), 5-24.
  • Kidd IJ, Chubb J & Forstenzer J (2021) . Theory and Research in Education, 19(2), 148-167.
  • Gatley J, Woodhouse E & Forstenzer J (2020) . Precollege Philosophy and Public Practice, 2, 107-125.
  • Forstenzer JI (2019) . Journal of Philosophy of Education, 52(3), 548-574.
  • Forstenzer JI (2017) . Transactions of the Charles S. Peirce Society, 53(4), 553-578.
  • Forstenzer J (2017) A Democratic Ideal for Troubled Times: John Dewey, Civic Action, and Peaceful Conflict Resolution. Journal of Human Rights and Peace Studies.
  • Forstenzer J (2015) . The Political Quarterly, 86(4), 550-554.

Book chapters

  • Forstenzer J (2025) Educating in a world on fire: Deweyan problem-solving and the role of higher education In Waks LJ & English AR (Ed.), John Dewey's Human Nature and Conduct: A Centennial Handbook Cambridge University Press
  • Garlick J & Forstenzer J (2024) In Forstenzer J, Demissie F & Boontinand V (Ed.), The Pedagogy of the Community of Philosophical Enquiry as Citizenship Education: Global Perspectives on Talking Democracy into Action (pp. 143-159). Routledge
  • Forstenzer J, Demissie F & Boontinand V (2024) In Forstenzer J, Demissie F & Boontinand V (Ed.), The Pedagogy of the Community of Philosophical Enquiry as Citizenship Education: Global Perspectives on Talking Democracy into Action (pp. 1-18). Routledge
  • Forstenzer J, Demissie F & Boontinand V (2024) , Pedagogy of the Community of Philosophical Enquiry as Citizenship Education Global Perspectives on Talking Democracy into Action (pp. 1-18).
  • Forstenzer J (2023) , Pragmatic Reason (pp. 24-41). Routledge
  • Forstenzer J (2023) In Müller M (Ed.), Handbuch Richard Rorty (pp. 847-863). Springer VS, Wiesbaden
  • Forstenzer J (2022) In Siddiqui M & Vette N (Ed.), A Theology of Gratitude: Christian and Muslim Perspectives (pp. 171-185). Cambridge University Press
  • Forstenzer J (2021) In Mahon A (Ed.), The Promise of the University : Reclaiming Humanity, Humility, and Hope (pp. 81-92). Springer, Singapore
  • Forstenzer JI (2017) Reconsidering Dewey's democratic socialism in the age of populism In Reder M, Filipovic A, Finkelde D & Wallacher J (Ed.), Jahrbuch Praktische Philosophie in Globaler Perspektive / Yearbook Practical Philosophy in a Global Perspective Schwerpunkt: Pragmatistische Impulse / Focus: Exploring Pragmatist Options (pp. 50-73). Munchen: Verlag Karl Aber.
  • Forstenzer JI (2016) Humanism, Democracy and Engaged Learning In Stone B (Ed.), Facing Outwards: Engaged Learning at the University of Sheffield (pp. 40-41). Sheffield: University of Sheffield.
  • Forstenzer J (2012) Education, active citizenship and applied social intelligence: Some democratic tools to meet the threat of climate change, Rethinking Climate Change Research Clean Technology Culture and Communication (pp. 177-191).
  • Forstenzer J () Reconsidering Josiah Royce’s Philosophy of Loyalty: meaning, community, and memory In Siddiqui M & Vette N (Ed.), A Theology of Loyalty: Christian and Muslim Perspectives Cambridge University Press

Book reviews

  • Forstenzer J (2015) "Inequality and the 1%" by Danny Dorling. Marx and Philosophy Review of Books.
  • Forstenzer J (2011) . Journal of Moral Philosophy, 8(1), 161-164.
  • Forstenzer J () . Eidos. A Journal for Philosophy of Culture, 6(3), 121-124.

Conference proceedings

  • Forstenzer J (2018) Something has cracked: Post-truth politics and Richard Rorty’s postmodernist bourgeois liberalism. Ash Center Occasional Papers, Vol. July 2018. Cambridge, Massachusetts

Reports

  • Forstenzer J (2025) Life Worth Living: Caring for our Educators and Principals: Evaluation and Impact Report
  • Forstenzer J (2016) Written evidence submitted by Dr. Joshua Forstenzer (PQE0106) in response to 'Purpose and quality of education in England' Parliamentary inquiry
  • Forstenzer JI (2016) The Teaching Excellence Framework: What's the Purpose?
  • Forstenzer J (2015) Written evidence by Dr Joshua Forstenzer (QHE 13) in response to 'Assessing quality in Higher Education' Parliamentary inquiry

Digital content

  • Forstenzer J (2020) Reply to 'On being educated'. Retrieved from
  • Forstenzer J (2020) Transformation or barbarism: pragmatist education in the face of catastrophe. Retrieved from
Research group

I am keen to supervise postgraduate students in the Philosophy Department or through the Sheffield Institute for Interdisciplinary Biblical Studies. Students interested in the philosophy of education, democratic theory, social and political philosophy (especially those working in the traditions of pragmatism and critical theory), and American Pragmatism are welcome to get in touch with me.

Primary supervision:

  • Peter Worley: Why Philosophy for Children? The Greeks and the Pragmatists
  • Tahmin Yesmin Shova: Active Citizenship and Multiculturalism

Secondary supervision:

  • Bayram Gunce: Religious Education and Critical Realism 
Teaching interests

My teaching is driven by an engaged pedagogic outlook, rooted in the Deweyan tradition of 'learning by doing'. I have received training from both  and , so my teaching is influenced by pedagogic practices rooted in the community of philosophical enquiry, as well by pedagogic efforts spear-headed by the  to bridge the gap between theoretical and practical orientations to flourishing.

Teaching activities
Teaching Activities:


Undergraduate:
PHI 135 - Writing Philosophy

PHI 31011 - How to Change the World From Here? Utopia, Reform and Democracy


Postgraduate:
PHI 61012 - How to Change the World From Here? Utopia, Reform and Democracy