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. (2019). Teaching to End Human Supremacy <=> Learning to Recognize Equity in All Species. In C. Drew et al. (Eds). Education for Total Liberation: Critical Animal Pedagogy and Teaching Against Speciesism. New York, NY: Peter Lang.
• Lupinacci, J. & Happel-Parkins, A. (2018). Food for a Common(s) Curriculum: Learning to Recognize and Resist Food Enclosures. In S. Rice & A.G. Rudd (Eds). Educational Dimensions of School Lunch: Critical Perspectives (pp. 91-115). New York, NY: Palgrave.
• Wolfmeyer, M., Lupinacci, J., Chesky, N. (2018). A Story of Incarceration Motivates New Conversation: Developing Mathematics Teaching for a Future Humanity. Mathematics Teaching 264 35-38.
• Lupinacci, J., Parkins-Happel, A., & Turner, R. (2018). Ecocritical Scholarship Toward Social Justice and Sustainability in Teacher Education. Issues in Teacher Education, 27(2) 3-16.
• Lupinacci, J., Happel-Parkins, A., Ward Lupinacci, M. (2018). Ecocritical Contestations with Neoliberalism: Teaching to (Un)learn “Normalcy.” Policy Futures in Education, 16(6) 652-668
• DeFritas, E., Lupinacci, J., Pais, A., & (2017). Science and Technology Studies × Educational Studies: Critical and Creative Perspectives on the Future of STEM Education. Educational Studies: A Journal of the American Educational Studies Association, 53(6) 551-559.
• 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
• 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., Ward Lupinacci, M. J., & Happel-Parkins, A. (2019). “Ableism and Individualism in Teacher Education: Ecocritical Teaching for Interrupting the ‘Norms’ and ‘Standards’ of PreK-12 Education” presented at AERA in Toronto, Ontario
• Lupinacci, J., Ward Lupinacci, M. J.., & Happel-Parkins, A. (2019). “Contesting Neoliberalism in Teacher Education: Ecocritical Teaching for (Un)Learning ‘Normalcy’” presented at AERA in Toronto, Ontario.
• Lupinacci, J. (2019). “The Earth’s Future? Contestations, Complexities, and Tensions with Feminism(s) and Environmental Justice” workshop to be co-facilitated with Happel-Parkins, A., Lloro-Bidart, T., Hayes, N., and Calderon, D. at AERA in Toronto, Ontario.
• Happel-Parkins, A. & Lupinacci, J. (2018). “Ethics, Schooling, and the Food Regimes of the Animal-Industrial Complex” Presented at the AESA in Greenville, SC.
• Lupinacci, J. & Happel-Parkins, A. (2018). “The EdD Chulthu: The Educational Doctorate for a Different Global Order?” Presented at the AESA in Greenville, SC.
• Lupinacci, J. & Torres, J. (2018). “Posthumanist Pitfalls and Possibilities: At the Risk of Throwing Out the Human with the Bath Waters of Anthropocentrism.” Presented at the AESA in Greenville, SC.
• Lupinacci, J. (2018). Intergenerational conversations.  Keynote panelist at North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) 15^th Annual Research Symposium. Spokane, WA.
• Lupinacci, J. & Schmidt, J. (2018). Place Matters for Research in EE. Invited EE Research Field Session at North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) 15^th Annual Research Symposium. Spokane, WA.
• Lupinacci, J. (2017). (Re)Imagining Sustainable Futures: Learning Together about Difference and Dependency. Plenary speaker at Local Futures: Economics of Happiness Conference. Port Townsend, WA.
• Ward Lupinacci, M., & Lupinacci, J. (2017). (Re)Imagining Education: Envisioning Common Futures for Learning. Invited Workshop at Local Futures: Economics of Happiness Conference. Port Townsend, WA
• 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.

Awards and Honors

• 2017 WERA Annual Research Award, Washington Educational Research Association and Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction.
• 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