Biography
Dr. Alex Posecznick has been a key member of the Education, Culture, and Society program at Penn GSE since 2011, where he serves as an associate faculty member. He previously served as associate director of the Ethnography in Education Research Forum, an internationally recognized conference at Penn that has been a leader in promoting qualitative inquiry and ethnographic research since 1980. Dr. Posecznick brings a unique perspective to the culture of higher education, blending his expertise in ethnographic research with a deep understanding of academic policy and administration. His work critically examines meritocracy and the structures of college admissions, as covered in The Chronicle of Higher Education and Inside Higher Ed.
Dr. Posecznick’s scholarship has been published in leading journals such as Ethnography and Education and Policy Futures in Education, and he has co-edited a special issue of Learning and Teaching that explores the complex relationship between universities, academics, and the state. He has served on the editorial board of Anthropology and Education Quarterly and has reviewed manuscripts for American Anthropologist, Ethos, and other prestigious outlets. A former chair of the Council on Anthropology and Education’s Committee on Post-Secondary Education, Dr. Posecznick was named a CAE Presidential Fellow in 2013, recognizing his contributions to the field. His research has been presented at major conferences such as the American Anthropological Association, Penn’s Ethnography in Education Research Forum, and Oxford’s Ethnography and Education Conference.
Dr. Posecznick teaches courses such as the Master’s Seminar in Education, Culture, and Society; Anthropology and Education; and Merit and America. At Penn GSE, he has mentored and advised countless master’s students on their theses, served on dissertation committees and chaired Ed.D. committees. His teaching philosophy emphasizes critical engagement with the social and cultural contexts of education, preparing students to navigate and challenge the complexities of the educational landscape. Through a commitment to kindness, respect, humility, curiosity, and hope, he aims to create supportive and collaborative learning community that fosters meaningful connection.
Publications
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