Kevin Burke

Biography

My research uses curriculum theory as a way to engage the fields of English education, cultural studies, and teacher education with the goal of complicating current understandings the discourses that inform education.  In order to do that work he draws deeply from queer theory, theology, masculinities studies, literacy and critical geography.  All of my thinking is fundamentally concerned with possible lives particularly in relation to schooling and its effects.  As such his work, cutting across a number of theoretical fields and frameworks, centers primarily around questions, as from Ahmed (2006), of ‘how [it is] possible, with all that is possible, that this form is repeated again and again?” (p. 82).  His focus on im/possibility requires thinking deeply around issues of grievability and precariousness, and particularly attending to the “the frame(s) that blind us” (Butler, 2010, p. 100) when it comes to the forms and kinds of questions that get asked about and through research.  Such work coalesces into four distinct and ongoing projects a.) research on the hidden curriculum of religion in public education; b.) research that establishes a paradigm of critical Catholic Education research; c.) work that queers notions of relationality tied to affect in schools; d.) work that seeks to build youth participatory action research through youth civic engagement.

Education

PhD, Michigan State University, 2010
MA, Boston College, 2006

Areas of Research / Professional Expertise

Areas of Expertise:                                          
Teacher Education
English Education
Religion and Public Schooling
Youth Participatory Action Research
Masculinities
Catholic Education

Research Interests:

Curriculum Theory
Religion and Education
Gender and Sexualities
Civic Youth Engagement
Queer Theory
Space and Place

Websites

• UGA Page

Books

Videos