UC Spark

Professor Peter Roberts

School of Educational Studies and Leadership

Fields of Research

  • Philosophy of Education
  • Educational Policy Studies

Researcher Summary

Peter's primary areas of scholarship are philosophy of education and educational policy studies.  His research interests include the ethics and politics of education, literature and education, the work of Paulo Freire, and tertiary education policy.

Subject Area: Disciplines

Research Groups

Publications


  • Roberts, P. (2014) Education, Faith, and Despair: Wrestling with Kierkegaard. Philosophy of Education Yearbook 2013 (Urbana, IL, Philosophy of Education Society): in press. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (2014) Educative Suffering? Dostoevsky as Teacher. The Review of Education, Pedagogy, and Cultural Studies 36 (in press) (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (2013) ‘It was the Best of Times, it was the Worst of Times ...': Philosophy of Education in the Contemporary World. In M.A. Peters and G. Biesta (Ed.), The Transformation of Philosophy of Education: Alternative Futures and Future Alternatives: (in press). Boulder, CO: Paradigm Publishers. (Chapter in Book)
  • Roberts, P. (2013) Acceptance, Resistance and Educational Transformation: A Taoist Reading of The First Man. Educational Philosophy and Theory 45 (in press) (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. and Freeman-Moir, J. (2013) Better Worlds: Education, Art, and Utopia. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books. 180 pp. (Authored Book)
  • Roberts, P. (2013) Changing Scholarly Lives: Neoliberalism, Discipline(s) and Educational Research. In Reid, A., Hart, P., Peters, M. and Russell, C. (Ed.), The Companion to Research in Education: in press. Dordrecht: Springer. (Chapter in Book)
  • Roberts, P. (2013) Education and the Face of the Other: Levinas, Camus and (Mis)understanding. Educational Philosophy and Theory 45 (in press) (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P., Gibbons, A. and Heraud, R. (2013) Education, Ethics and Existence: Camus and the Human Condition. Abingdon and New York: Routledge. (in press) (To be published first as a special issue of Educational Philosophy and Theory, vol. 45, 2013). (Authored Book)
  • Roberts, P. (2013) Endless Energy: Portrait of an Intellectual. In G. Lazaroiu (Ed.), Education, Politics and the Cosmopolitan Order: (in press). New York: Addleton Academic Publishers. (Chapter in Book)
  • Roberts, P. (2013) Happiness, Despair, and Education. Studies in Philosophy and Education 32 (in press). (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (Ed.) (2013) Shifting Focus: Strangers and Strangeness in Literature and Education. Abingdon and New York: Routledge. (in press) (To be published first as a special issue of Educational Philosophy and Theory, vol. 45, 2013). (Edited Book)
  • Roberts, P. (2013) Simone Weil: Education, Spirituality and Political Commitment. In J. Kirylo (Ed.), Critical Pedagogues You Want to Know: (in press). New York: Peter Lang. (Chapter in Book)
  • Roberts, P. (2013) The Stranger Within: Dostoevsky's Underground. Educational Philosophy and Theory 45 (in press). (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (2012) From West to East and Back Again: An Educational Reading of Hermann Hesse's Later Work. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers. 108pp. (Authored Book)
  • Roberts, P. (2012) Scholarly Publishing and the Politics of Openness: Knowledge Production in Contemporary Universities. Review of Contemporary Philosophy 11: 11-25. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (2012) Scholars, Philosophers or Performers? The Politics of Research in Contemporary Universities. In R. Openshaw and J. Clark (Ed.), Critic and Conscience: Essays in Memory of John Codd and Roy Nash: 87-104. Wellington: NZCER Press. (Chapter in Book)
  • Roberts, P. (2012) The Politics of Change: Publishing, Policy and Practice. Access: Critical Perspectives on Communication, Cultural and Policy Studies 31(1): 17-22. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. and Peters, M.A. (2011) From Castalia to Wikipedia: openness and closure in knowledge communities. E-Learning and Digital Media 8(1): 36-46. http://dx.doi.org/10.2304/elea.2011.8.1.36. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (2011) J.G. Wissema, Towards the third generation university: managing the university in transition. Cheltenham and Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar, 2009. Journal of Educational Administration and History 43(1): 86-88. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00220620.2011.543021. Book Review. (Other)
  • Roberts, P. (2011) Openness as an Educational Virtue. Geopolitics, History, and International Relations 3(1): 9-24. (Journal Article)
  • Peters, M.A. and Roberts, P. (2011) The Virtues of Openness: Education and Scholarship in a Digital Age. Boulder: Paradigm Publishers. 171pp. (Authored Book)
  • Roberts, P. and Codd, J. (2010) Neoliberal Tertiary Education Policy. In M. Thrupp and R. Irwin (Ed.), Another Decade of New Zealand Education Policy: Where to Now?: 99-110. Hamilton: Wilf Malcolm Institute of Educational Research. (Chapter in Book)
  • Roberts, P. (2010) P. Mayo, Liberating Praxis: Paulo Freire's Legacy for Radical Education and Politics, Rotterdam: Sense Publishers, 2009; C. Borg and P. Mayo, Learning and Social Difference: Challenges for Public Education and Critical Pedagogy, Boulder, CO and London: Paradigm Publishers, 2006. Journal of Adult Learning, Aotearoa New Zealand 38(2): 99-101. Book Review. (Other)
  • Roberts, P. (2009) Education, Death and Awakening: Hesse, Freire and the Process of Transformation. International Journal of Lifelong Education 28(1): 57-69. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02601370802568432. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (2009) Education, Society and the Individual: Reflections on the Work of Hermann Hesse. Journal of Educational Thought 43(2): 93-108. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (2009) Gavin Kitching, The Trouble with Theory: The Educational Costs of Postmodernism. University Park, PA: Pennsylvania State University Press, 2008. Educational Philosophy and Theory 41(3): 248-251. Book Review. (Other)
  • Roberts, P. (2009) Hope in Troubled Times? PESA and the Future of Philosophy of Education. Educational Philosophy and Theory 41(7): 811-813. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (2009) Technology, Utopia and Scholarly Life: Ideals and Realities in the Work of Hermann Hesse. Policy Futures in Education 7(1): 65-74. http://dx.doi.org/10.2304/pfie.2009.7.1.65. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (2008) Beyond the Rhetoric of "Quality" and "Relevance": Evaluating the Tertiary Education Strategy, 2007-12. New Zealand Annual Review of Education 17: 41-57. (Journal Article)
  • Carpenter, V.M., Jesson, J., Roberts, P. and Stephenson, M. (2008) Introduction. In Ngā Kaupapa Here: Connections and Contradictions in Education: vii-viii. Melbourne: Cengage. (Other)
  • Roberts, P. (2008) Liberation, Oppression and Education: Extending Freirean Ideas. Journal of Educational Thought 42(1): 83-97. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (2008) Life, Death and Transformation: Education and Incompleteness in Hermann Hesse's The Glass Bead Game. Canadian Journal of Education 31(3): 667-696. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (2008) Michael A. Peters, Alan Britton and Harry Blee (Eds.), Global Citizenship Education: Philosophy, Theory and Pedagogy. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers, 2008; 533pp. New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies 43(2): 127-130. Book Review. (Other)
  • Roberts, P. and Peters, M.A. (2008) Neoliberalism, Higher Education and Research. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers. 144pp. (Authored Book)
  • Carpenter, V.M., Jesson, J., Roberts, P. and Stephenson, M. (Ed.) (2008) Ngā Kaupapa Here: Connections and Contradictions in Education. Melbourne: Cengage. (Edited Book)
  • Roberts, P. (2008) Reason, Emotion, and Politics in the Work of Paulo Freire. In C.A. Torres and P. Noguera (Ed.), Social Justice Education for Teachers: Paulo Freire and the Possible Dream: 101-118. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers. (Chapter in Book)
  • Roberts, P. (2008) Teaching as an Ethical and Political Process: A Freirean Perspective. In V.M. Carpenter, J. Jesson, P. Roberts and M. Stephenson (Ed.), Ngā Kaupapa Here: Connections and Contradictions in Education: 99-108. Melbourne: Cengage. (Chapter in Book)
  • Roberts, P. (2008) The Dream of a Journey to the East: Mystery, Ritual and Education in Hermann Hesse's Penultimate Novel. Paideusis 17(1): 45-58. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (2007) Conscientisation in Castalia: A Freirean Reading of Hermann Hesse's The Glass Bead Game. Studies in Philosophy and Education 26(6): 509-523. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11217-007-9062-2. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (2006) Performativity, measurement and research: a critique of performance-based research funding in New Zealand. In J. Ozga, T. S. Popkewitz and T. Seddon (Ed.), World Yearbook of Education 2006: 185-199. London: Routledge. (Chapter in Book)
  • Roberts, P. (2005) Freire and Dostoevsky: Uncertainty, Dialogue and Transformation. Journal of Transformative Education 3(1): 126-139. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (2005) Pedagogy, Politics and Intellectual Life: Freire in the Age of the Market. Policy Futures in Education 3(4): 446-458. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (2005) Tertiary Education, Knowledge and Neoliberalism. In J. Codd and K. Sullivan (Ed.), Education Policy Directions in Aotearoa New Zealand: 39-51. Palmerston North: Thomson/Dunmore Press. (Chapter in Book)
  • Roberts, P. (2004) Neoliberalism, Knowledge and Inclusiveness. Policy Futures in Education 2(2): 350-364. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (2003) Contemporary Curriculum Research in New Zealand. In W. Pinar (Ed.), The International Handbook of Curriculum Research: 495-516. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum. (Chapter in Book)
  • Roberts, P. (2003) Epistemology, Ethics and Education: Addressing Dilemmas of Difference in the Work of Paulo Freire. Studies in Philosophy and Education 22(2): 157-173. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (2003) Knowledge, Dialogue and Humanization: Exploring Freire's Philosophy. In M. Peters, M. Olssen and C. Lankshear (Ed.), Critical Theory and the Human Condition: Founders and Praxis: 169-183. New York: Peter Lang. (Chapter in Book)
  • Roberts, P. (2003) Pedagogy, Neoliberalism and Postmodernity: Reflections on Freire's Later Work. Educational Philosophy and Theory 35(4): 451-465. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1469-5812.00041. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (2002) Postmodernity, Tertiary Education and the New Knowledge Discourses. Access: Critical Perspectives on Communication, Cultural and Policy Studies 21(1): 53-60. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (2001) Freedom, Justice and Understanding. Journal of Educational Thought 35(2): 149-156. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (2001) Making it Matter: Politics, Commitment, and the Art of Teaching. Interchange: A Quarterly Review of Education 32(1): 79-90. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (2001) Nietzsche and the Limits of Academic Life. In M. Peters, J. Marshall and P. Smeyers (Ed.), Nietzsche's Legacy for Education: Past and Present Values: 125-137. Westport, CT, USA: Bergin & Garvey. (Chapter in Book)
  • Roberts, P. (2001) The Crisis in Scholarly Publishing: Exploring Electronic Solutions. In P. Roberts and M. Chambers (Ed.), Digital Developments in Higher Education: Theory and Practice: 89-107. Cambridge: Taylor Graham Publishing. (Chapter in Book)
  • Roberts, P. (2000) Burbules, N.C. and Hansen, D.T. 1997. Teaching and its Predicaments. New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies 35(2): 265-267. Book Review. (Other)
  • Roberts, P. (2000) Education, Literacy, and Humanization: Exploring the Work of Paulo Freire. Westport, CT: Bergin and Garvey. (Authored Book)
  • Roberts, P. (2000) Extending Literate Horizons: Paulo Freire and the Multidimensional Word. In S.J. Ball (Ed.), Sociology of Education: Major Themes: 309-321. New York/London: Routledge/Falmer. (Chapter in Book)
  • Roberts, P. (2000) Knowledge, Information and Literacy. International Review of Education 46(5): 433-453. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (2000) Mayo, P. 1999. Gramsci, Freire and Adult Education: Possibilities for Transformative Action; O'Cadiz, M.D.P., Wong, L. and Torres, C.A. 1998. Education and Democracy: Paulo Freire, Social Movements and Educational Reform in Sao Paulo; 1997. Taboo: The Journal of Culture and Education (Special issue on Paulo Freire, vol. 2). New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies 35(1): 109-110. Book Review. (Other)
  • Peters, M. and Roberts, M. (2000) Universities, Futurology and Globalisation. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education 21(2): 125-139. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. and Peters, M. (1999) A Critique of the Tertiary Education White Paper. New Zealand Annual Review of Education 8: 1-22. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (1999) A Dilemma for Critical Educators? Journal of Moral Education 28(1): 19-30. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (1999) Beyond Buber: Dialogue, Education and Politics. Journal of Educational Thought 33(2): 183-189. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (1999) Critical Paths in Pedagogy, Research and Development. Interchange: A Quarterly Review of Education 30(3): 347-357. (Journal Article)
  • Fitzsimons, P., Peters, M. and Roberts, P. (1999) Economics and the Educational Policy Process in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies 34(1): 35-44. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (1999) Freire, Neoliberalism and the University. In Roberts, P. (Ed.), Paulo Freire, Politics and Pedagogy: Reflections from Aotearoa-New Zealand: 97-111. Palmerston North: Dunmore Press. (Chapter in Book)
  • Peters, M. and Roberts, P. (1999) Globalisation and the Crisis in the Concept of the Modern University. Australian Universities' Review 42: 47-55. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (Ed.) (1999) Paulo Freire, Politics and Pedagogy: Reflections from Aotearoa-New Zealand. Palmerston North: Dunmore Press. 123. (Edited Book)
  • Roberts, P. (1999) Scholarly Publishing, Peer Review and the Internet. First Monday: The Peer-Reviewed Journal on the Internet 4(4) (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (1999) The Future of the University: Reflections from New Zealand. International Review of Education 45(1): 65-85. (Journal Article)
  • Peters, M. and Roberts, P. (1999) University Futures and the Politics of Reform in New Zealand. Palmerston North: Dunmore Press. (Authored Book)
  • Peters, M. and Roberts, P. (1998) Agendas for Change: Universities in the 21st Century. New Zealand Annual Review of Education 7: 5-28. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (1998) Beyond Pedagogy of the Oppressed: Reading Freire Holistically. New Zealand Journal of Adult Learning 26(1): 32-47. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (1998) Bloom on Books, Reading and the Determination of Greatness: A Critique and an Alternative. Interchange: A Quarterly Review of Education 29(3): 245-260. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (1998) Freire, P. 1997. Pedagogy of the Heart; Freire, P. 1998. Teachers as Cultural Workers: Letters to Those Who Dare Teach. Australian Journal of Teacher Education 23(1): 45-48. Book Review. (Other)
  • Roberts, P. (1998) Freire, P. et al. 1997. Mentoring the Mentor: A Critical Dialogue with Paulo Freire. New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies 33(1): 131-134. Book Review. (Other)
  • Roberts, P. and Peters, M. (1998) Information Technologies and Tertiary Education in New Zealand. First Monday: The Peer-Reviewed Journal on the Internet 3(12) (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (1998) Peters, M. 1996. Poststructuralism, Politics and Education. Journal of Educational Thought 32(1): 75-78. Book Review. (Other)
  • Roberts, P. (1998) Peters, M. 1997. Education and the Postmodern Condition. Journal of Further and Higher Education 22(1): 231-234. Book Review. (Other)
  • Roberts, P. (1998) Rereading Lyotard: Knowledge, Commodification and Higher Education. Electronic Journal of Sociology 3(3) (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (1998) Scholarly Life in Virtual Universities. In M. Peters and P. Roberts (Ed.), Virtual Technologies and Tertiary Education: 111-193. Palmerston North: Dunmore Press. (Chapter in Book)
  • Roberts, P. (1998) The Politics of Curriculum Reform in New Zealand. Curriculum Studies 6(1): 29-46. (Journal Article)
  • Peters, M. and Roberts, P. (Ed.) (1998) Virtual Technologies and Tertiary Education. Palmerston North: Dunmore Press. 232. (Edited Book)
  • Roberts, P. (1997) A Critique of the NZQA Policy Reforms. In M. Olssen and M. Morris Matthews (Ed.), Education Policy in New Zealand: The 1990s and Beyond: 162-189. Palmerston North: Dunmore Press. (Chapter in Book)
  • Roberts, P. (1997) Freire, P. 1996. Letters to Cristina: Reflections on my Life and Work. New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies 32(2): 239-241. Book Review. (Other)
  • Roberts, P. (1997) Lankshear, C. (with Gee, J.P., Knobel, M. and Searle, C.) 1997. Changing Literacies. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education 18(3) Book Review. (Other)
  • Roberts, P. (1997) Literacies in Cyberspace. SET: Research Information for Teachers 3 (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (1997) Paulo Freire and Political Correctness. Educational Philosophy and Theory 29(2): 83-101. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (1997) Political Correctness, Great Books and the University Curriculum. In M. Peters (Ed.), Cultural Politics and the University: 103-134. Palmerston North: Dunmore Press. (Chapter in Book)
  • Roberts, P. (1997) Qualifications Policies and the Marketisation of Education: A Critical Reading of the Green Paper. Access: Critical Perspectives on Cultural and Policy Studies in Education 16(2): 31-47. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (1997) The Consequences and Value of Literacy: A Critical Reappraisal. Journal of Educational Thought 31: 45-67. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (1996) A New Academic Medium? Scholarly Publication and the Promise of Cyberspace. Sites: The South Pacific Journal of Cultural Studies 33: 68-86. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (1996) Critical Literacy, Breadth of Perspective, and Universities: Applying Insights from Freire. Studies in Higher Education 21(2): 149-163. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (1996) Defending Freirean Intervention. Educational Theory 46(3): 335-352. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (1996) Peters, M.A. and Marshall, J.D. 1995. Individualism and Community: Education and Social Policy in the Postmodern Condition. Journal of Education Policy 11(4): 509-510. Book Review. (Other)
  • Roberts, P. (1996) Rethinking Conscientisation. Journal of Philosophy of Education 30(2): 179-196. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (1996) Structure, Direction and Rigour in Liberating Education. Oxford Review of Education 22(3): 295-316. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (1996) The Danger of Domestication: A Case-Study. International Journal of Lifelong Education 15(2): 94-106. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (1995) Defining Literacy: Paradise, Nightmare or Red Herring? British Journal of Educational Studies 43(4): 412-432. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (1995) Education, Literacy and Political Commitment in Postmodern Times. The Review of Education/Pedagogy/Cultural Studies 17(1): 55-73. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (1995) Literacy Studies: A Review of the Literature, with Signposts for Future Research. New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies 30(2): 189-214. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (1995) McLaren, P. and Lankshear, C. (eds.). 1994. Politics of Liberation: Paths from Freire. Journal of Education Policy 10(1): 111-113. Book Review. (Other)
  • Roberts, P. (1995) McLaren, P. and Leonard, P. (eds.). 1993. Paulo Freire: A Critical Encounter. Australian Journal of Education 39(1): 98-100. Book Review. (Other)
  • Roberts, P. (1994) Education, Dialogue and Intervention: Revisiting the Freirean Project. Educational Studies 20(3): 307-327. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (1993) Philosophy, Education and Literacy: Some Comments on Bloom. New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies 28(2): 165-180. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (1992) Adult Literacy Research: What Does Philosophy Have to Offer? Access: Critical Perspectives on Education Policy 11(1): 13-25. (Journal Article)
  • Roberts, P. (1989) Paulo Freire and Science Education. Delta 41: 41-51. (Journal Article)