Dr. John Palella

Biography

John Palella is an Assistant Teaching Professor at Brown University with a robust background in social studies education, history, critical identity studies, and media/communication studies. He holds a Ph.D. in Gender History from the University at Albany and an M.A. in Social Studies Education from New York University. His career includes eight years of experience as a public secondary social studies teacher before his role at Brown. Palella has served as the inaugural Postdoctoral Teaching Fellow in Race, Humanities, and Critical Identity Studies at Clark University. His research focuses on student-centered, social justice-oriented approaches to social studies education, examining the intersections of race, gender, and sexuality, and developing culturally relevant pedagogies. Palella's ongoing scholarship includes contributions to various upcoming publications and collaborative projects aimed at enhancing media literacy in social studies education. He directs the MAT Social Studies Cohort in the Department of Education at Brown University, where he mentors graduate students on creating inclusive curricula that reflect diverse histories and identities. His teaching encompasses a range of courses on intersections of education, critical race, gender studies, and LGBTQ+ histories.

Research Interests

Experience