Professional Biography
Dr. Ben-Porath studies schools and colleges as democratic institutions. She received her doctorate in political philosophy from Tel Aviv University in 2000. She was a postdoctoral research associate at the University Center for Human Values at Princeton University in 2001-2004.
Dr. Ben-Porath has been teaching at Penn GSE since 2004. She is an associate member of the political science department and the philosophy department at Penn. She also currently serves as the faculty director of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Paideia Program. She served as a special assistant to the university president, and as chair of the faculty advisory board to Penn Press, and as executive committee member of the Andrea Mitchell Center for the Study of Democracy. In 2010 she was a fellow at the Institute for Advanced Studies at Princeton, in 2012–2013 she was affiliated with the Safra Center for Ethics at Tel Aviv University, and in 2020–2021 she was a fellow in residence at the Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics at Harvard.
- Ph.D. (Political Philosophy) Tel Aviv University, 2000
- M.A. (Philosophy of Education) Tel Aviv University, 1994
- B.A. (Education and Humanities) Hebrew University, Jerusalem, 1993
- Civic education
- Politics of education reform
- Philosophy of education
- Political philosophy
Research Interests and Current Projects
Dr. Ben-Porath is interested in democratic theory and practice, and studies the ways institutions like schools and colleges can sustain and advance democracy. Her areas of expertise include philosophy of education and political philosophy. Her books include Cancel Wars (2022) Making Up Our Mind: What School Choice is Really About (2019), Free Speech on Campus (2017), and Varieties of Sovereignty and Citizenship (2012), as well as Tough Choices: Structured Paternalism and the Landscape of Choice (2010) and Citizenship under Fire: Democratic Education in Times of Conflict (2006). She is currently researching civic dialogue in schools and colleges.
Selected Publications

Citizenship Under Fire: Democratic Education in Times of Conflict
- Sigal Ben-Porath
Princeton University Press

Tough Choices: Structured Paternalism and the Landscape of Choice
- Sigal Ben-Porath
Princeton University Press

Free Speech on Campus
- Sigal Ben-Porath
University of Pennsylvania Press

Cancel Wars
- Sigal Ben-Porath
The University of Chicago Press

Varieties of Sovereignty and Citizenship
- Sigal Ben-Porath
University of Pennsylvania Press
Ben-Porath, S. (2022). Cancel Wars. University of Chicago Press.
Ben-Porath, S., & Johanek, M. (2019). Making up our mind: What school choice is really about. Chicago: University of Chicago.
Shores, K., Ben-Porath, S., & Jefferson, M. (2019). Disparities in modes and content of civic engagement: An analysis using data from the current population survey, Social Science Quarterly, 101(1).
Dishon G., & Ben-Porath, S. (2018). Don’t @ me: Rethinking digital civility online and in school. Learning, Media and Technology, 43(4), 434–450. DOI: 10.1080/17439884.2018.1498353
Ben-Porath, S., Ben Shahar, T. H. (2017). Introduction: Big data and education: ethical and moral challenges. Theory and Research in Education, 15(3), 243–248.
Ben-Porath, S.R. (2017). Free speech on campus. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press
Ben-Porath, S. (2016, November). Safety, dignity and the quest for a democratic campus culture. Philosophical Inquiry in Education, 24(1), 79–85.
Ben-Porath S., & Dishon, G. (2015). Taken out of context: Defending civic education from the situationist critique. Philosophical Inquiries in Education. 23(1), 22–37.
McGinn, K., & Ben-Porath, S. (2014, July). School choice and parental engagement: Some reasons for caution. Theory and Research in Education, 12(2), 172–192.
Ben-Porath, S.R. (2013, July). Deferring virtue: The new management of students and the civic role of schools. Theory and Research in Education, 11(2), 111–128.
Ben-Porath, S.R. (2012, June). School choice and educational opportunity: Rationales, outcomes and racial disparities. Theory and Research in Education. 10(2), 171–189.
Ben-Porath, S.R., & Smith, R. M. (Eds.). (2012). Varieties of sovereignty and citizenship. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press.
Ben-Porath, S.R. (2012, August). Citizenship as shared fate: Educating for membership in a diverse democracy. Educational Theory, 62(4), 381–395.
Ben-Porath, S.R. (2012, February). Defending rights in (special) education. Educational Theory, 62(1), 25–38.
Ben-Porath, S.R. (2011, September). Wartime citizenship: An argument for shared fate. Ethnicities, 11(3), 313–325.
Ben-Porath, S. (2010, December). Exit rights and entrance paths: Accommodating cultural diversity in a liberal democracy. Perspectives on Politics, 8(4), 1021–1033.
Ben-Porath, S. R. (2010). Tough choices: Structured paternalism and the landscape of choice. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Ben-Porath, S.R. (2010). School choice as a bounded ideal. Journal of Philosophy of Education. 43(4), 527–544.
Ben-Porath, S.R. (2008, Spring). Care ethics and dependence—Rethinking jus post bellum. Hypatia, 23(2), 61–71.
Ben-Porath, S.R. (2007, March). Civic virtue out of necessity: Patriotism and democratic education.Theory and Research in Education. 5(1), 41–59.
Ben-Porath, S.R. (2006). Citizenship under fire: Democratic education in times of conflict. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Related News
Educators and scholars explored how educators can model democratic engagement while honoring student voice and diverse perspectives.
- `
-
The organization, founded in 1965, is an honorific society of U.S. members and international associates elected based on outstanding education-related scholarship.
-
Penn GSE's fall initiatives include the One Book program, Visiting Scholar Speaker Series, and Community Circles to encourage inclusive, respectful conversations.
-
Arrests at Columbia Protests May Signal a Shift in the Campus-Activism Playbook, Experts Say
In the Media | The Chronicle Of Higher Education
TopicsSigal Ben-Porath says it was reasonable for colleges to try and balance preserving free speech while not letting demonstrations disrupt other student experiences, but that what Columbia did was dramatic, if not completely unexpected.
-
Sigal Ben-Porath recommends clear communication and contextually relevant discussions as strategies for universities to navigate the complexities of free speech on campuses.
-
Private Colleges Hope New Speech Policies Will Keep the Peace
In the Media | The Chronicle of Higher Education
Sigal Ben-Porath discusses the challenges private colleges face in balancing inclusivity and free speech, noting that policies may unevenly limit expression, complicating efforts to maintain an open academic environment.
-
Educators Strategize on How to Diversify the K-12 Teaching Profession
In the Media | Diverse: Issues In Higher Education
Sigal Ben-Porath discusses the growing polarization in K-12 education, emphasizing the challenge of navigating a deeply divided political climate and the impact this has on educational environments and teacher preparation
-
Sigal Ben-Porath suggests that campuses should balance inclusion with free speech through specific rules, acknowledging the complexity of navigating controversial speech without undermining safety or diversity.
-
Topics
School administrators across the country are facing political challenges they might not have expected when they entered education. Sigal Ben-Porath, MRMJJ Presidential Professor, recently offered advice in School Administrator magazine for how superintendents and other leaders can navigate these pressures.
-
‘What is happening in Florida will not stay in Florida.’ Are NC colleges next?
In the Media | The Herald-Sun (Durham, NC)
Sigal Ben-Porath views the changes in higher education regulation in states like Florida and North Carolina as primarily driven by Republican goals and visions for the sector, indicating a significant shift in how public higher education is being managed and regulated.
-
Topics
Penn GSE Professor Sigal Ben-Porath has been named the MRMJJ Presidential Professor and Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Affairs Susan Yoon has been named the Graduate School of Education Presidential Professor. Both are the first to hold their respective chairs, which begin with the 2023–2024 academic year.
-
Sigal Ben-Porath has been named faculty director of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Paideia Program. She will assume the role Sept. 1.
-
Liberals try to reclaim ‘parents’ rights’ from conservatives in education
In the Media | The Washington Post
Sigal Ben-Porath says progressive education advocacy ticked up last year and has been gaining steam since.
-
Florida Lawmakers Want Oversight of Invited Speakers on Public-College Campuses
In the Media | The Chronicle of Higher Education
TopicsSigal Ben-Porath says the government is trying to impose perspectives on higher-education institutions and undermining their autonomy.
-
Sigal Ben-Porath and Jonathan Zimmerman study the boundaries of free speech and censorship in classrooms and curriculums.
-
Sigal Ben-Porath criticized the "Chicago principles" in 2018, saying they offer false assurance to colleges and universities in relation to free speech.
-
Professors Sigal Ben-Porath and Andrea M. Kane discussed current challenges to free speech in K–12 and higher education with Dean Pam Grossman in front of alumni and friends. The challenges aren’t new, but they’re being amplified by increased polarization in our society.
-
A writer’s post and its consequences divide Latin American literary circles
In the Media | The New York Times
Sigal Ben-Porath says that the vehemence of discourse on transgender issues makes sense given the hate speech and misapprehensions previously faced by trans people.
-
Regional Roundup
In the Media | WHYY
Sigal Ben-Porath discusses how hate speech intersects with First Amendment rights on college campuses.
-
‘If you want my advice, don’t take my advice.’ When the host isn’t an expert.
In the Media | The Christian Science Monitor
TopicsSigal Ben-Porath speaks about how information spreads outside conventional news sources. “You have a really open [media] landscape where people like Joe Rogan can hustle,” she says. “The incentive structure is built around rage rather than thoughtful engagement. At the same time, society’s values are changing. Societies are not like atomic clocks. We change and evolve over time.”
-
Penn GSE’s Sigal Ben-Porath joined Yale University’s Jacob S. Hacker, UCLA’s Martin Gilens and Vanderbilt University’s Larry M. Bartels in The Scholars’ Circle interview to discuss the decline of democracy in the U.S., its causes, and its cures.
-
Penn GSE’s Abby Reisman and Sigal Ben-Porath penned a piece for the Washington Post denouncing legislative efforts to limit classroom discussions on race, gender, and sexual orientation.
-
The case of the cursing cheerleader: Justices give students free speech win
In the Media | The Christian Science Monitor
TopicsSigal Ben-Porath spoke about the importance of guaranteeing free speech for young people. “You ought to be able to practice this, you ought to be able to make mistakes, correct them, try out ideas—even outrageous ones, even profane ones,” she said. “We have to support young people in developing their voice, and we’re not very good at doing that right now.”
-
Topics
Sigal Ben-Porath, an expert in civic education, says teachers need to be prepared for these important conversations.
-
5 Ways to Discuss the Capitol Riot with Your Students
In the Media | Tech & Learning
TopicsSigal Ben-Porath describes, “It was a very disturbing and significant moment in American history, so most students will be needing a place to consider it outside their families, and they don't have peer groups right now for the most part because of the pandemic.”
-
The thorny issues of free speech on campus
In the Media | Dilema Podcast
TopicsSigal Ben-Porath joins host Jay Shapiro to explore what protections universities owe their students.
-
Freedom Center Talks: Sigal Ben-Porath on Speech on Campus
In the Media | Center for the Philosophy of Freedom
Sigal Ben-Porath discusses how our understanding of open expression and some of the boundaries of free speech that we find ourselves negotiating in this polarized time affects our ability to find common ground as a society, and what are some of the ways that higher education institutions and society more broadly can overcome polarization and mistrust and create a more engaged democratic community.
-
Two key questions teachers should ask students after the election
In the Media | The Washington Post
Sigal Ben-Porath wrote a piece about how teachers can approach the many issues that will arise around the general election in 2020, after the polls close and votes are counted, which could take days or weeks.
-
Sigal Ben-Porath spoke with host Jonathan Friedman, along with guest Vicka Bell-Robinson, director of residence life at Miami University, about how campuses can facilitate respectful and productive dialogue across political differences during this tense time
-
After a contentious election, educators need a plan for discussing the results—especially if they aren’t clear.
-
UNC Program for Public Discourse: Free Speech on Campus
In the Media | UNC Program for Public Discourse
Sigal Ben-Porath participated as part of a panel discussion, along with Greg Lukianoff and Dr. Jacqueline Pfeffer Merrill, about the current state of free expression on college campuses.
-
Sigal Ben-Porath asks teachers not to pretend protests about institutional racism and police brutality don’t exist.
-
Sigal Ben-Porath joined Penn history professor Sophie Rosenfeld to discuss climate change, vaping, and finding the truth on a new Penn podcast.
-
Kentuckiana teachers navigate political minefield to bring impeachment into classrooms
In the Media | WDRB-TV Online
TopicsSigal Ben-Porath explains that providing historical context and a comfortable environment to discuss weighty topics like impeachment can help students become more civic-minded.
-
Topics
Focusing on actions & 3 more ideas from Sigal-Ben Porath for making political issues teachable moments.
Journal Editorial Boards
Philosophical Inquiry in Education
Editorial Advisory Board
Theory and Research in Education
Associate Editor