Shirley R. Steinberg

Shirley R. Steinberg is a Professor of Education (Leadership) at the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary. She is an internationally recognized scholar in critical pedagogy, urban and youth culture, and cultural studies, with numerous publications and awards to her name. Steinberg serves as the Founding Editor of Taboo: The Journal of Culture and Education, Founding and Managing Editor of The International Journal of Critical Pedagogy, and Co-founder and Co-editor of The International Journal for Leadership in Learning.

Dr. Steinberg's educational background includes:

• PhD in Education K-12 from Pennsylvania State University (1997)
• MEd in Gifted Girls and Leadership from University of Lethbridge (1990)
• BEd in Education K-12 from University of Lethbridge (1987)

Her research interests focus on cultural and social development, transformative leadership, and critical pedagogy. Steinberg is particularly concerned with how society views young people and marginalized communities, advocating for environments where all individuals are viewed as positive democratic leaders. Her work spans critical communities, youth involvement, leadership studies, and critical diversity/inclusion studies, with a strong emphasis on social justice pedagogies and critical media literacies.

Dr. Steinberg's publications demonstrate a consistent commitment to social justice, critical theory, and educational transformation. Her scholarship bridges theoretical frameworks with practical applications in community settings, especially through her work with Indigenous communities in Southern Alberta. She has developed the theoretical framework of 'Third Wave Islamophobia' and consistently addresses themes of power, marginalization, and resistance across her work in critical media literacies and youth activism.

Among her numerous accolades, Dr. Steinberg has received:

• Paulo Freire Legacy Award (2024) from the American Educational Research Association
• Social Justice Scholar Award (2024) from Islamic Circle of North America (Canada)
• Critics Choice Book Award (2022) from the American Education Studies Association
• 17 Film Festival Awards for 'Elders' Room' (2021)
• Best Director, Short Documentary at Toronto International Women's Film Festival (2021)
• Paulo Freire Lifetime Achievement Award for Social Justice and Education (2011)

Dr. Steinberg has secured multiple grants for community-based projects, including the Indigenous Welcome Grant (2020-2021) for integrating theatre and poetry at Kainai High School and documenting Elders' pandemic histories, and the Ptarmigan Foundation Indigenous Education Grant (2023) for land-based education initiatives. She actively mentors emerging scholars through her editorial work with multiple journals and her university teaching responsibilities, including courses like EDER 719 Advanced Special Topics in Educational Leadership and EDER 783.02 Critical Praxis as Social Justice.

Steinberg maintains international collaborations with institutions including the University of Barcelona, Sapienza University in Rome, Murdoch University in Australia, IPEC in Mexico, and Griffith University in Australia. Her decade-long work with Southern Alberta Blackfoot Nation communities demonstrates her commitment to community-engaged scholarship. As the Chief Information Organizational Officer for S.I.Y.S. (Struggle Is Your Success) and Educational Advisor for the Robb Nash Project, she actively bridges academic research with grassroots community initiatives focused on youth empowerment and social justice.