About
Kristján Kristjánsson’s research orientation can best be summed up as that of Aristotle-inspired philosophical scrutiny of theories in educational psychology and values education, with special emphasis on the notions of character and emotional virtue. He has written extensively on themes in general education, moral education, educational psychology, moral philosophy and political philosophy, and sees himself essentially as a bridge-builder between philosophy and social science. Kristjánsson is the author of Social Freedom: The Responsibility View (C.U.P., 2006), Justifying Emotions: Pride and Jealousy (Routledge, 2002), Justice and Desert-Based Emotions (Ashgate, 2006), Aristotle, Emotions and Education (Ashgate, 2007) and The Self and Its Emotions (C.U.P., 2010) – and is currently completing a manuscript, under contract with C.U.P., on Virtues and Vices in Positive Psychology. Kristjánsson has published over 70 articles in international journals and is an editorial board member of the Journal of Moral Education. He has been a Visiting Fellow at Cornell University, University of Konstanz, St. Edmund’s College (Cambridge University) and Institute of Education (University of London). In 1997, he was elected the Young Humanities Scholar of the Year by the Icelandic Council of Science, and in 2011 he was presented with the Ása Guðmundsdóttir Wright Award, the most prestigious scholarly award given to an Icelandic academic across the Sciences and Humanities.
Qualifications
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University of St. Andrews, Scotland, 1987-1990: PhD in Moral Philosophy
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University College of Teaching, Reykjavík, Iceland (part-time), 1984-1986: Teacher’s Diploma
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University of Iceland, 1980-1983: B.A.-degree in Philosophy and German
Biography
Kristján Kristjánsson has teaching experience at junior and senior high-school level before embarking on a university career. He was Lecturer, Reader and finally Professor in the School of Education, University of Akureyri (Iceland) from 1991–2008 (where he was also for a long time Vice-Dean, and Acting Head of Department for one year); and Professor of Philosophy of Education, School of Education, University of Iceland, from 2008. He was appointed Professor of Character Education and Virtue Ethics in the School of Education, University of Birmingham, with effect from September 1, 2012.
Postgraduate supervision
Kristján Kristjánsson has wide experience of working with postgraduate students and would be interested in supervising doctoral students across a large area of concerns and interests, having to do with moral education, virtue ethics, well-being, educational values, teacher/student emotions and self-concepts.
Research
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Positive psychology and positive education, with special emphasis on Peterson and Seligman’s theory of virtue
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Well-being and education
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Selfhood, self-concepts (self-esteem, self-respect, self-efficacy, etc.) and education
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The nuances of character and personality, and their moral and educational relevance
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Professional and personal virtues and education
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The nature, scope and aims of moral/character education
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The situationist challenge to character and character education
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Virtue ethics and education
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Emotions as potential virtues and vices
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Aristotle’s theory of moral development, moral virtues and phronesis
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Justice and justice-related emotions
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The nature of so-called negative emotions such as jealousy
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Freedom as a moral concept
Other activities
Other activities
1992-1995: Chairman, University of Akureyri Research Institute
1994-2002: Vice-Dean, Faculty of Education, University of Akureyri
1997-1998: Acting Dean, Faculty of Education, University of Akureyri
1999 (spring semester): Visiting Scholar, University of Konstanz, Germany
1999-2002: Chairman, Society of Professors in Iceland
1999–2008: Chairman, University of Akureyri Evaluation Committee for Promotions and Recruitment
2000–2011: Member of the Akureyri District Hospital Ethical Committee
2001 (spring semester): Visiting Research Fellow, Cornell University, U.S.A.
2002 (spring semester): Visiting Scholar, Faculty of Education, Cambridge University, England; Visiting Fellow St. Edmund’s College
2004 (spring semester): Visiting Fellow, St. Edmund’s College, Cambridge University
2005–: Member of the Editorial Board, Journal of Moral Education
2006 (spring semester): Visiting Fellow, St. Edmund’s College, Cambridge University
2009–2012: Member of the Editorial Board, Icelandic Journal of Educational Research
2009–2012: Chairman, School of Education University of Iceland Evaluation Committee for Promotions and Recruitment
2009 (spring semester): Visiting Fellow, Institute of Education, University of London
2012 (spring semester): Visiting Fellow, Institute of Education, University of London
Referee for journals such as Ethics, Mind, American Philosophical Quarterly, International Philosophical Quarterly, Ethical Theory and Moral Practice, Philosophical Explorations, Philosophical Quarterly, Studies in Philosophy and Education, Journal of Moral Education, Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour, Alberta Journal of Education, Journal of Social Philosophy, Journal of Applied Philosophy, Journal of Philosophy of Education, Nursing Philosophy, Journal of Positive Psychology, Social Psychology of Education, Journal of Moral Philosophy, Emotion, Space and Society, Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, Theory and Psychology, British Journal of Educational Studies, Educational Review, Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, Review of Education
Publications
Selected publications
Books
Kristjánsson, K. (forthcoming 2013) Virtues and Vices in Positive Psychology: A Philosophical Critique. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Kristjánsson, K. (2010 hb, 2012 pb) The Self and Its Emotions. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Kristjánsson, K. (1996 hb, 2007 pb) Social Freedom: The Responsibility View. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Kristjánsson, K. (2007) Aristotle, Emotions, and Education. Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing
Kristjánsson, K. (2006) Justice and Desert-Based Emotions. Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing
Kristjánsson, K (2002 hb, 2006 pb) Justifying Emotions: Pride and Jealousy. London: Routledge
Kristjánsson, K. (1996). Social Freedom: The Responsibility View. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Journal Articles (most recent)
Kristjánsson, K. (2013) Aristotelian Motivational Externalism, Philosophical Studies, in press
Kristjánsson, K.(2013). Ten Myths about Character, Virtue and Virtue Education – and Three Well-Founded Misgivings, British Journal of Educational Studies, in press
Kristjánsson, K. (2012) Selfhood, Morality, and the Five-Factor Model of Personality, Theory & Psychology, 22 (5), pp. 591-606
Kristjánsson, K. (2012) Situationism and the Concept of a Situation, European Journal of Philosophy, 20 (Supplementary Issue S1). DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-0378.2011.00474.x
Kristjánsson, K. (2012) Virtue Development and Psychology’s Fear of Normativity, Journal of Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology, 32 (2), pp.103-118.
Kristjánsson, K. (2012) Positive Psychology and Positive Education: Old Wine in New Bottles?, Educational Psychologist, 47 (2).pp.86-105. DOI: 10.1080/00461520.2011.610678
Full Publication list (PDF, 95.6KB)