Dr. Daren Graves is a Professor of Education and Social Work at Simmons. Dr. Graves also serves on the Steering Committee of the Harvard Global Sports Initiative. His research lies at the intersection of racial identity development, critical consciousness, and education. Dr. Graves has reported on his work in a variety of publications including Schooling for Critical Consciousness: Engaging Black and Latinx Youth in Analyzing, Navigating, and Challenging Racial Injustice (Harvard Education Press, 2020) and in his co-edited volume, The Bloomsbury Handbook of Hip Hop Pedagogy (Bloomsbury, 2024).
Education
- EdD, Harvard Graduate School of Education
- EdM, Harvard Graduate School of Education
- BA, Yale University
Area of Expertise
- Identity Development
- Critical consciousness
- Hip Hop Pedagogy
- Teacher education
- Social Work education
Courses
- GEDUC 445 Educational Psychology
- DEDU 653 Qualitative Research Methodology
- Honors 101/LCIS 101 First Year Seminar- Honors Program
- SW 409 Racism and Dynamics of Oppression
- BOS 101 “From Pumpsie to Papi”: Race and Sports in the City of Champions
Community Engagement
- Supporting Black Boys to Thrive At School
- Participation, Inclusion and Social Responsibility in Global Sports
- HGSE Hosts Event Discussing Surveillance of Muslim Youth
- Written All Over My Face: A Talk With Dr. Daren Graves
- Randolph MLK Day speaker looks back, ahead
Research/Special Projects
- Co-Principal Investigator, (2022-2024). “Building Civic Character in Crew through Communities of Practice.” John Templeton Foundation (with Dr. Scott Seider: Boston College, co-PI)
- Co-Principal Investigator, (2016-2019). “The development of critical consciousness in adolescents attending ‘no excuses’ and progressive urban charter high schools.” Spencer Foundation (with Dr. Scott Seider; Boston University, co-PI).
- Co-Principal Investigator, (2015-2017).“Critical consciousness combines civic, intellectual, and performance character virtues to foster positive youth development.” John Templeton Foundation (with Dr. Scott Seider: Boston University, co-PI)
- Schooling for Critical Consciousness
- Promising Practices and Unfinished Business: Fostering Equity and Excellence for Black and Latino Males
- Can “Critical Consciousness” Close the Opportunity Gap?
Publications/Presentations
Kelly, L. and Graves, D. (Eds). (2024) The Handbook of Hip Hop Pedagogy. Bloomsbury Academic; London
Graves, D., El-Amin, A., & Seider S. (2023) “Tools of Whiteness and Teaching for Critical Consciousness” in E. Godfrey and L. Rapa (Eds). Developing Critical Consciousness in Youth: Contexts and Settings; Cambridge University Press
Graves, D. (2021). “Authority must be on the side of freedom”: The relationship between teachers’ authority and Black and Latinx students’ political agency in challenging racism. Theory Into Practice, 1. https://doi.org/10.1080/00405841.2021.1983329
Graves, D., Kelly, L., & McArthur, S. (Eds.). (2020). Special Issue: Teaching for Critical Consciousness: Critical Hip-Hop Pedagogy. The International Journal of Critical Media Literacy, 2(1). Brill Press
Seider, S., and Graves, D. (2020). Schooling for critical consciousness: Engaging Black and Latinx youth in analyzing, navigating, and challenging racial injustice. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press
Graves, D. (2017). “Written all over my face” – The toll of a Black Man teaching White students about racism. In R. Kohli and B. Picower (Eds.), Confronting racism in teacher education: Counternarratives of critical practice (pp. 60-67). New York, NY: Routledge
Seider, S., and Graves, D. (2020). Schooling for critical consciousness: Engaging Black and Latinx youth in analyzing, navigating, and challenging racial injustice. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press
Graves, D. (2017) "Written all over my face" – The toll of a Black Man teaching White students about racism. In R. Kohli and B. Picower (Eds.), Confronting racism in teacher education: Counternarratives of critical practice (pp. 60-67). New York, NY: Routledge
Seider, S., Graves, D., El-Amin, A., Soutter, M., Tamerat, J., Jennett, P., Clark, S., Johannsen, J., & Keene, A. (2014). Faculty of color teaching critical race theory at a PWI: An autoethnography. Journal of Critical Thought and Praxis, 3(2), 1-30.
Graves, D., Sweet, D.A., & McGowan, M. (2010). I feel like I can do it too: A paradigm shift in an urban library internship program. Urban Library Journal, 16(1), 1-18.
Graves, D., McGowan, M., & Sweet, D.A. (2010). Making a home: Critical pedagogy in a library internship program for high school students. In E. Drabinski, A. Kumbier, & M. Accardi (Eds.), Critical library instruction: Theories and methods (pp. 161-175). Los Angeles, CA: Library Juice Press
Awards
- Simmons University Provost's Award for Excellence in Graduate Teaching (2021)
- Simmons College Dean's Award for Exceptional Undergraduate Teaching (2011)
Daren Graves in the News
Professor of Education Daren Graves Co-Edits Forthcoming Book on Hip Hop Education
In January 2024, Bloomsbury Publishing (London) will release The Bloomsbury Handbook of Hip Hop Pedagogy, co-edited by Daren Graves, Professor of Education and Social Work at Simmons, and Dr. Lauren Leigh Kelly, an Associate Professor of Education at Rutgers University. This collection is “the first reference work to cover the theory, history, research methodologies, and practice of Hip Hop pedagogy.”
Twelve Simmons Faculty Members Receive Promotions, Tenure, and Emerita/us Status
Last month, the Simmons Board of Trustees finalized decisions concerning the promotion, tenure, and emerita/us status of select faculty members. We are pleased to congratulate the following faculty members for their outstanding accomplishments: Promotion to the rank of Professor Daren...
Talking with Children about Race and Racism
In early November, writer, educator, and Children's Literature specialist Autumn Allen '18MA/MFA and Associate Professor of Education and Social Work Dr. Daren Graves offered a Zoom presentation to the Simmons community, "Talking with Children about Race and Racism: Using Children's...
Juneteenth and the Art of Envisioning the Future
On June 16, Gary Bailey, Professor of Practice and Assistant Dean for Community Engagement and Social Justice at Simmons University, moderated a Colleges of the Fenway panel discussion, “Juneteenth, Then and Now: A Conversation on Being the Change Through Arts and Activism."
Shout-outs from Students and Alums
Six Students Selected for the 2025 Senior Scholar Award
Ginjer Doherty ’25, Aviva Foster ’25, CJ Haggard ’25, Theo Hatfield ’25, Lili Malatinszky ’25, and Grace Walters ’25 have been selected for the prestigious Senior Scholar Award at Simmons University. Sponsored by the Provost’s Office and the Office of Research and Fellowships, the Senior Scholar Award recognizes outstanding scholarly research across different disciplinary fields.
A Multidisciplinary Education: Irish Immersion, State House Internship, and Reproductive Health Research
Sociology major Gracyn Delaune ’24 reflects on her time abroad, impactful internships and research opportunities, her favorite professors and what it is like to attend school in Boston.
Ifill Scholar Asiyah Herrera ’25 Shares her Passion for Supporting Those in Need
“To me the Ifill scholarship is just that: the inception of an amazing legacy and the prospect of a radical future.” — Asiyah Herrera '25
Simmons Helped Scott A. Lancaster '19PhD Become a Better Professor, Now His Health Professions Division Excels
Scott A. Lancaster '19PhD, Dean of Health Professions for Northern Essex Community College, credits the health professions education program for elevating his career and taking his paramedic expertise to the national level.