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)

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I am internationally recognised for leading multidisciplinary research on children’s and young people’s global futures, with a focus on participatory methods, psychological development and well-being, (post-) digital education, children’s health and eco-pedagogies.

I have an extensive range of publications embracing seven (7) languages. My most recent book publication is 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 (an updated edition of my book ‘Neoliberalism, Pedagogy and Human Development’). I am Founding Editor of the Peter Lang Book Series “(Post-) Critical Global Childhood & Youth Studies”.

I have often served as an expert advisor e.g., for (a) the UNESCO Chairs programme, (b) the Global Challenges Research Fund (UK), and (c) Horizon Europe. I have held visiting positions in Escuela Normal del Estado in Mexico, at Jawaharlal Nehru University in India and at Pontíficia Universidade Católica de São Paulo and have been an external advisor for research projects funded by the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (National Council of Scientific and Technological Development) in Brazil. Furthermore, I am a former Secretary of the International Society for Cultural-historical and Activity Research. For further details please visit https://mkontopodis.wordpress.com.

Responsibilities

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

Research interests

Research Projects:

Digital Makers (CAER/ Born-in-Bradford), Makerspaces in the Early Years (PI: Prof. J. Marsh, Marie Curie Rise), Global Perspectives on Learning & Development with Digital Video-Editing Media (PI, Marie Curie Rise), Countryside Education & Sustainable Development in Espírito Santo, Brazil (External Investigator, UFES).

Research Leadership:

I established and have led for three years the ICY: Inclusion, Childhood & Youth Research Centre in the School of Education as an interdisciplinary network bringing together colleagues from multiple Schools and Faculties. I have played a key role in promoting close collaboration between ICY and other research centres in Leeds and from the Yorkshire and Northern region, such as the Centre for Disability Studies, the Centre for Applied Education Research in Bradford and the N8 Research Partnership.

Key Publications:

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, ミカリス・コントポディス (Tokyo: Shinyosha/ 新曜社).

Kontopodis, M. & Kumpulainen, K. (2022). Technical Mediation of Children’s Onlife Worlds. In: Kraus, A., Wulf, C. (Eds.). The Palgrave Handbook of Embodiment and Learning (pp. 357-365). Cham: Palgrave Macmillan.

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. (2015). How and Why Should Children Eat Fruit and Vegetables? Ethnographic Insights into Diverse Body Pedagogies. Social Science & Medicine, 143, 297-303.

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.

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

Professional memberships

• Advance HE/ Higher Education Academy

Research groups and institutes

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