Daren Graves
- Education
- School of Social Work

Education
- Ed.D. - Human Development and Psychology -Harvard Graduate School of Education
- M.Ed. - Human Development and Psychology -Harvard Graduate School of Education
- B.A. - Behavioral Neuroscience - Yale University
About Me
Dr. Daren Graves is an Associate Professor of Education and Social Work at Simmons University and Adjunct Lecturer of Education at Harvard Graduate School of Education. His research lies at the intersection of critical race theory, racial identity development, and teacher education. Dr. Graves has reported on is 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). Dr. Graves serves as co-Chair of the AERA Hip Hop Theories, Praxis & Pedagogies Special Interest Group. Dr. Graves also serves as the liaison between Simmons University and the Boston Teachers Union Pilot School, a public K–8 school where he works closely with teachers and students.
Area of Expertise
- Racial Identity Development
- Critical Race Theory
- Developmental Psychology
- Teacher Education
What I Teach
- 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
- 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
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