John Lupinacci

Research Interests

John Lupinacci’s research focuses on how people, specifically educators, learn to both identify and examine destructive habits of modern human culture.  His work proposes that, through education, teachers can be leaders in confronting dominant assumptions about existing as individuals separate from and superior to the greater ecological systems to which we belong. He explains:

“As agents of change, we all have both the capacity and the responsibility to make an ethical choice to examine and challenge how dominant Western cultural ways of thinking have isolated us from recognizing the relationships that make up our ecological existence.”

Teaching/Professional Interests

Dr. Lupinacci teaches pre-service teachers and graduate students in the Cultural Studies and Social Thought in Education (CSSTE) program using an approach that advocates for the development of scholar-activist educators.  He has taught at the secondary level in Detroit and is co-author of the book EcoJustice Education: Toward Diverse, Democratic, and Sustainable Communities. His experiences as a high school math and science teacher, an outdoor environmental educator, and a community activist all contribute to examining the relationships between schools and the reproduction of the cultural roots of social suffering and environmental degradation.

Recent Accomplishments

Selected Publications

• Lupinacci, J., Lowenstein, E., Burke, C., & Lazarowicz, A. (2017). Teaching for Equity and Environmental Justice. The Green Schools Catalyst Quarterly (GSCQ) 2, 26-35.
• Lupinacci, J. (2017). Addressing 21st Century Challenges in Education: An Ecocritical Conceptual Framework toward an Ecotistical Leadership in Education. Impacting Education: Journal on Transforming Professional Practice 2, 20-27.
• Lupinacci J., & Lupinacci Ward, M. (2017). (Re)imaginings of “community:” Perceptions of (dis)ability, the environment, and inclusion. In A. J. Nocella II, A. George, J.L. Schatz, & S. Taylor (Eds.) Weaving Nature, Animals and Disability for Social Justice: From Theory to Experience in Eco-Ability (pp. 63-78). Lanham, MD: Lexington Books.
• Lupinacci, J., (2017) Resistance wisdom and grassroots urban education: Lessons from Detroit. In G. W. Noblit, & W. T. Pink (Eds.) Second International Handbook of Urban Education (pp. 833-851). New York, NY: Springer
• Nocella II, A. J., Ducre, K. A., Lupinacci, J. (eds.) (2017). Addressing environmental justice and dismantling the school-to-prison pipeline: Poisoning and incarcerating youth. New York, NY: Palgrave.
• Galley, E., Lupinacci, J., Sarmiento, C., Flanagan, C. A., & Lowenstein, E. (2016). Environmental stewardship and activism for the environmental commons. In J. Conner, & S. M. Rosen (Eds.) Contemporary Youth Activism: Advancing Social Justice in the United States (pp. 113-134). Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO.
• Lupinacci, J., & Happel-Parkins, A. (2016). (Un)Learning Anthropocentrism: An EcoJustice Education Framework for Teaching to Resist Human-Supremacy in Schools. In S. Rice & A. Rud (Eds.) The Educational Significance of Human and Non-Human Animal Interactions: Blurring the Species Line (pp. 13-30). New York, NY: Palgrave.
• Martusewicz, R., Edmundson, J., & Lupinacci, J. (2015). EcoJustice education: Toward diverse, democratic, and sustainable communities (2^nd Edition). New York, NY: Routledge.

Speaking Engagements and Conference Presentations

• Lupinacci, J. (2017).  Eco-Leadership for Social Justice and Sustainability. Invited speaker for Making Leadership Preparation a Transformative Endeavor: A Symposium for Getting Explicit about Social Justice and Transformative Leadership by AERA Social Justice Action Committee. San Antonio, TX.
• Lupinacci, J. (2017). Status of the Dream: Does Freedom Ring? MLK Public Square hosted by WSU Center for Civic Engagement. Pullman, WA.
• Lupinacci, J. (2016). (Un)Learning anthropocentrism: An ecocritical framework for teaching to resist human-supremacy in curriculum and pedagogy. Seminar Series for Department of Curriculum & Pedagogy University of British Columbia. Vancouver, Canada.
• Lupinacci, J. (2017). “Making Leadership Preparation a Transformative Endeavor: A Symposium for Getting Explicit about Social Justice and Transformative Leadership.” Invited Speaker at AERA in San Antonio, TX.
• Lupinacci, J. (2017). “Defining and Operationalizing Social Justice in Ed.D. programs.” Presented at AERA in San Antonio, TX.
• Wolfmeyer, M., Chesky, N., & Lupinacci, J. (2017). “Continuing the Spiral: Ecofeminism, EcoJustice, and Mathematics Education.” Presented at AERA in San Antonio, TX.
• Lupinacci, J. (2017). “(Re)constituting Educational Leadership Knowledge(s) to Action(s): Educating Towards an Eco-tistical Leadership.” Presented at AERA in San Antonio, TX.
• Happel-Parkins, A., & Lupinacci, J. (2016). “Eco-Critical De(re)constructions and Re(con)figurations of STEM: A Critical Posthumanist Approach in Education Research” Presented at AESA in Seattle, WA.
• Wiggens, J., & Lupinacci, J. (2016). “Imaginative Capacities for Partnerships: Ethical Leadership, Scholar-Activism, and Community Organizing” Presented as a Visionary Pragmatist in Education Colloquium at AESA in Seattle, WA.
• Lupinacci, J. (2016). “Addressing 21^st Century Challenges in Education: Ecocritical Perspectives on Leadership for Higher Education, Teacher Education, & K-12 Schools.” Presented as a Learning Exchange at CPED Portland, OR.
• Lupinacci, J., & Happel-Parkins, A. (2016). “Pedagogies of Resistance: Counternarratives to Colonization” Presented at AERA Washington D.C.
• Lupinacci, J., & Happel-Parkins, A. (2016). “Reclaiming Public Scholarship in Teacher Education: Ecological Learning for Educators in the 21^st Century.” Presented at AERA Washington D.C.

Awards and Honors

• Faculty Fellowship for Community Engagement 2017 with Center for Civic Engagement, Washington State University.
• Provost Leadership Academy 2016 at Washington State University.
• CPED Writing Fellowship – Social Justice 2016 with Carnegie Project on the Educational Doctorate (CPED).
• Imagine Tomorrow Scholar Award Recipient with Alaska Airlines
• AESA Critics’ Choice Award 2011 for EcoJustice Education: Toward Diverse, Democratic, and Sustainable Communities