Dr. Matt Villeneuve

Biography

Matt Villeneuve is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Policy Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His academic journey began with a Ph.D. in History from the University of Michigan, which he obtained in 2021. Villeneuve's dissertation, titled 'Instrumental Indians: John Dewey and the Problem of Frontier Democracy in Indian Education, 1884-1959,' examines the intersection of American Indian studies and intellectual history through the lens of history and democracy. As an educator, he focuses on American Indian history, Native studies, and Indigenous education, teaching courses that cover these vital areas. His scholarship, informed by his heritage as a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, explores the historical roles of Native instructors in the federal boarding school system and the progressive education movement in Indian schools. Villeneuve is also dedicated to promoting diversity within graduate education, having served as a Career Diversity Fellow for the American Historical Association from 2018 to 2020. In addition to historical research, he enjoys engaging in science fiction and fantasy writing, film, and gaming.

Research Interests