Constance Russell

Dr. Constance Russell is a Professor in the Faculty of Education at Lakehead University, where she holds the Lakehead University Research Chair in Environmental & Sustainability Education. Her work bridges critical pedagogy, environmental education, and social justice, with a focus on human-animal relations, fat pedagogy, and gender equity. She holds a PhD from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (University of Toronto), an MES from York University's Faculty of Environmental Studies, and a BA from Glendon College, York University.

• PhD: Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), University of Toronto
• MES: Faculty of Environmental Studies, York University
• BA: Glendon College, York University

Her research explores critical environmental education, critical animal studies, food education, and fat pedagogy. She interrogates anthropocentric assumptions in educational contexts, analyzes environmental curricula through decolonial and intersectional lenses, and advocates for pedagogies that challenge systemic oppressions. Her recent publications examine topics like animal edutainment, humor in environmental education, and the framing of food systems in academic syllabi.

Dr. Russell's 15 most recent publications (2020-2025) reveal interdisciplinary trends spanning animal studies, ecofeminism, fat pedagogy, and critical curriculum theory. These works address hidden curricula in ecotourism, gender dynamics in outdoor education, and transformative approaches to sustainability education. She has also contributed to edited volumes on environmental outreach and community engagement.

A dedicated educator and researcher, Dr. Russell has supervised graduate students and collaborated on interdisciplinary projects. Her work appears in journals like Environmental Education Research and Canadian Journal of Environmental Education, with ongoing commitments to open-access scholarship and community-engaged research.