By Laurel White
A professor emeritus in the School of Education was elected this week to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, a national honorary society and research center.
Michael W. Apple, the John Bascom Professor Emeritus of Curriculum and Instruction and Educational Policy Studies, was one of five UW–Madison faculty members elected to the prestigious institution this year. The election recognizes the scholars’ outstanding contributions in their respective fields.
“We celebrate the achievement of each new member and the collective breadth and depth of their excellence — this is a fitting commemoration of the nation’s 250th anniversary,” said Academy President Laurie Patton in a prepared statement. “The founding of the nation and the Academy are rooted in the inextricable links between a vibrant democracy, the free pursuit of knowledge, and the expansion of the public good.”
The Academy elected 252 new members this year. Chartered in 1780, the institution has previously elected members including Benjamin Franklin, Albert Einstein, Margaret Mead, and Madeline Albright.
Throughout his ongoing career, Apple has built a global reputation for expertise on education’s role in promoting social change. He has worked alongside governments, researchers, and political groups to build more critically democratic research, policies, and practices in education. He has also written a number of books and given numerous international lectures on the politics of education reform, education for social justice, and the relationship between culture and power.
Last year, Apple co-edited, “Education and the Politics of Interruption: Does the Right Always Win?”, which explores how education has become a key battleground in global political struggles. In 2024, he co-authored, “Engaging Critical Pedagogy in Education: Global Phenomenon, Local Praxis,” which describes and discusses examples of critically democratic policies and practices across education.
Election to the Academy is one of many professional honors Apple has received, including more than a dozen honorary doctorates or equivalent degrees around the world.