Ernest Morrell

Associate Professor of Urban Schooling

Associate Director of Youth Research, Institute for Democracy, Education and Access (IDEA) 

University of California, Los Angeles

2022A Moore Hall, Box 951521

Los Angeles, CA 90095-1521

(310) 825 7548

morrell@gseis.ucla.edu

Education

Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley 2001

Research Interests

Morrell examines the possible intersections between indigenous urban adolescent literacies and the “sanctioned” literacies of dominant institutions such as schools. Particularly, he is interested in critical pedagogy; adolescent literacy practices in non-school settings; apprenticing youth as action researchers; critical literacy education; and urban teacher development.

Teaching Interests

Morrell teaches courses on literacy theory and research, critical pedagogy, cultural studies, urban education, Pan African education, and activist research methodologies.

Selected Recent Publications

Duncan-Andrade, J. and Morrell, E. (2008). The Art of Critical Pedagogy: The Promises of Moving from Theory to Practice in Urban Schools. New York: Peter Lang [Foreword by Shirley Steinberg]

Morrell, E. (2008). Rebel Musics: African Diaspora Popular Culture and Critical Literacies. In C. Payne and C. Strickland (Eds.) Teach Freedom: The African American Tradition of Education for Liberation. New York: Teachers College Press. 

Morrell, E., and Duncan-Andrade, J. (2008). Comin' from the School of Hard Knocks: Hip-hop and the Revolution of English Classrooms in City Schools. In B. Ayres, G. Ladson-Billings, P. Noguera, and G. Mitchie (Eds.) City Kids, City Teachers II. New York: New Press (Adapted and revised from 2002 English Journal piece)

Morrell, E. (2007). Youth Participatory Action Research, Civic Engagement, and Educational Reform: Lessons from the IDEA Seminar. In J. Cammarota and M. Fine (Eds.) Revolutionizing Education: Youth Participatory Action Research in Motion. New York: Routledge.

Morrell, E. (2007). Critical Literacy and Urban Youth: Pedagogies of Access, Dissent, and Liberation. New York: Routledge [Foreword by Sonia Nieto]

Morrell, E. (2004). Linking Literacy and Popular Culture: Finding Connections for Lifelong Learning. Norwood, MA: Christopher-Gordon.

Morrell, E. (2004). Becoming Critical Researchers: Literacy and Empowerment for Urban Youth. New York: Peter Lang.

Morrell,  E. (2006). Critical Participatory Action Research and the Literacy Achievement of Ethnic Minority Youth. 55th Annual Yearbook of the National Reading Conference.

Morrell, E. , and Duncan-Andrade, J. (2006). Popular Culture and Critical Media Pedagogy in Secondary Literacy Classrooms. International Journal of Learning.

 Burns, L., and Morrell, E. (2005). Critical Discourse Analysis in Literacy Research. 2004 Annual Yearbook of the National Reading Conference.

Morrell, E. (2005). Toward a Critical English Education: Reflections on and Projections for the Discipline. English Education, 37, 4, 312-322.

Morrell, E. (2005). Urban Students as Critical Ethnographers: Critical Textual Production through Community-Based Research. In J. Kincheloe & K. Hayes (Eds.), Students in the City. New York: Peter Lang.

Duncan-Andrade, J. and Morrell, E. (2005). Turn Up That Radio, Teacher: Popular Cultural Pedagogy in New Century Urban Schools. Journal of School Leadership, 15, 284-308.

Morrell, E. (2004). Bahktin’s Dialogic Pedagogy: Implications for Critical Pedagogy, Teacher Research, and Literacy Education in the United States. Journal of Russian and Eastern European Psychology , 42, 6, 90-95.

Collatos, A., Morrell, E., Lara, R., and Nuno, A. (2004). Critical Sociology in K-16 Early Intervention: Remaking Latino Pathways to Higher Education. Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, 3, 2, 164-180.

Morrell, E., & Duncan-Andrade, J. (2004) What Youth Do Learn in School: Using Hip-Hop as a Bridge to Canonical Poetry. In J. Mahiri (Ed.), What They Don't Learn in School: Literacy in the Lives of Urban Youth. New York: Peter Lang, 247-268.

Morrell, E., & Collatos, A. (2003). Toward a Critical Teacher Pedagogy: Utilizing Student Sociologists as Teacher Educators. Social Justice, 29, 4, 60-71.

Morrell, E. (2003). Legitimate Peripheral Participation as Professional Development: Lessons from a Summer Research Seminar. Teacher Education Quarterly 30, 2, 89-99.

Morrell, E. (2002). Toward a Critical Pedagogy of Popular Culture: Literacy Development among Urban Youth. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 46, 1, 72-77

Morrell, E., & Duncan-Andrade, J. (2002). Toward a Critical Classroom Discourse: Promoting Academic Literacy through Engaging Hip-hop Culture with Urban Youth. English Journal, 91, 6, 88-94.