Prof. Michalis Kontopodis

Profile

“Τί γάρ ὠφελήσει ἄνθρωπον ἐάν κερδήση τόν κόσμον ὄλον, καί ζημιωθῆ τήν ψυχήν αὐτοῦ;” – “For what good will it be for the human, to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?” (Matthew 16:26)

Prof Michalis Kontopodis is a first-generation student, who grew up in Greece, has lived & worked in a few different countries and has published a long list of books and research articles in seven languages. Prof Michalis Kontopodis’s research explores poverty, child and adolescent psychology, education and virtual technologies (‘virtual’ also in terms of ‘virtue’), and global childhood & youth futures. Since 2018 he has been the Chair in Global Childhood and Youth Studies at the University of Leeds. He accomplished his PhD in 2007 at the Free University Berlin. Before moving to the University of Leeds, he held the following academic positions: 

• 2016-2018: Senior Lecturer, University of Sheffield, UK

• 2014-2016: Senior Lecturer, Roehampton University London, UK

• 2013-2014: Assistant Professor, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Netherlands

• 2011-2012: Post-Doc Researcher, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands

• 2007-2010: Post-Doc Researcher, Humboldt University Berlin, Germany

His visiting scholarships & professorships include quite a few highly-ranked universities from around the globe, such as: City University of New York; Pontíficia Universidade Católica de São Paulo and Jawaharlal Nehru University. Many of his openly accessible publications in English, German, Portuguese, French, Greek & Russian are available through his personal blog and webpage: https://mkontopodis.wordpress.com/. His most recent book publication has been in Japanese: 新自由主義教育からの脱出ー子ども・若者の発達をみんなでつくる (Tankobon Softcover, 2023). 

Responsibilities

• Member of Editorial Board: Current Anthropology; European Journal of Psychology & Education
• Founding Editor: Peter Lang Book Series: (Post-)Critical Global Childhood & Youth Studies

Research interests

Prof Kontopodis's research is at the frontier of Global Childhood and Youth Studies with three foci: (a) addressing in participatory ways challenges related to global debt, poverty and marginalisation; (b) innovating pedagogies with digital and virtual technologies; (c) deciphering the multiple links between children’s wellbeing, ecology and education. In collaboration with a wide network of academics, practitioners, NGOs, youth organisations and policy makers, Prof Kontopodis conducts research on inclusive education, digital transformation and global youth futures. His books, edited volumes and journal articles have been published in a few different languages; for further details please visit https://mkontopodis.wordpress.com/

Past research projects include: 

Makerspaces in the Early Years: Enhancing Digital Literacy & Creativity. EU Marie Curie RISE. (PI: Prof. Jackie Marsh, University of Sheffield, 2017-2019).

Global Perspectives on Learning & Development with Digital Video-Editing Media. EU Marie Curie IRSES/ RISE. In collaboration with: University of Crete; Free University Berlin; UCL Institute of Education; Pontíficia Universidade Católica de São Paulo; Jawaharlal Nehru University & Moscow State University (2012-2015).

Countryside Education & the Brazilian Landless Workers' Movement (in collaboration with the Federal University of Espírito Santo, Brazil, 2010-2014)

Biopedagogies in the Kindergarten (funded by German Ministry for Education and Research & European Research Council, 2008-2012)

Book publications include: 

新自由主義教育からの脱出ー子ども・若者の発達をみんなでつくる (2023), ミカリス・コントポディス (Tankobon Softcover)

Kontopodis, M.; Varvantakis, C. & Wulf, C. (Eds) (2019). Global Youth in Digital Trajectories. London: Routledge.

Kontopodis, M.; Magalhães, M.C. & Coracini, M.J. (Eds) (2016). Facing Poverty and Marginalization: 50 Years of Critical Research in Brazil. Bern: Peter Lang.

Kontopodis, M. (2014). Neoliberalism, Pedagogy and Human Development: London and New York: Routledge.

Kontopodis, M.; Wulf, C. & Fichtner, B. (Eds) (2011). Children, Development and Education: Cultural, Historical, Anthropological Perspectives. Dordrecht & New York: Springer.

Kontopodis, M. & Niewöhner, J. (Eds) (2010). Das Selbst als Netzwerk: Zum Einsatz von Körpern und Dingen im Alltag (The Self as Network: On the Employment of Bodies and Things in the Everyday). Bielefeld: transcript.

Kontopodis, M. (Ed) (2009). Children, Culture & Emerging Educational Challenges: A Dialogue with Brazil. Berlin: Lehmanns Media.

Open access & overview of publications in English, German, Portuguese, French, Greek & Russian: https://mkontopodis.wordpress.com/

Research groups and institutes

• Centre for Digital Learning
• ICY: Inclusion, Childhood & Youth Research Centre
• Centre for Global Development
• Leeds Social Science Institute