SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

 

PROFESSOR JEAN BARR

 

Emeritus Professor (University of Glasgow) and Honorary Senior Research Fellow (School of Education)

 

BIOGRAPHY

Jean Barr was appointed to Glasgow University’s Department of Adult and Continuing Education (DACE) in 1996 to direct its postgraduate programme, then, from 1999-2003, as DACE’s Head of Department. Awarded a personal chair in 2003, as Associate Dean and Professor of Adult and Continuing Education, from 2005-2008, she headed up the Graduate School of the Faculty of Education, formed when the University merged with St Andrews College of Education. Previously, she held the posts of Lecturer in Educational Policy and Development at the University of Stirling (1992-1996) and as Senior Research Fellow at Warwick University’s Continuing Education Centre (1991-1992).

 

From 1982-1991 she was District Secretary of the West of Scotlnd District of the Workers’ Educational Association (WEA), responsible for directing a large programme of adult education classes delivered locally throughout Glasgow and across the West of Scotland. A temporary appointment as Staff Tutor in Educational Studies at the Open University in Scotland (1981-1982) was preceded by a decade of varied posts in Higher Education: as Evaluator of pre-school provision in Glasgow, as part of the Bristol University-based, UK-wide, Pre-School Evaluation Project (1979-1981); as Lecturer in Sociology at Glasgow College of Technology (1973-1979), then in Social Theory and Philosophy of Social Science at the University of Strathclyde (1969-1971), followed by a year in Italy where she taught English as a second language.

 

Jean holds a DCE (Distinction) from Jordanhill College of Education; an MA (Hons) in Mental Philosophy from Glasgow University; an MA in Education (Merit) from Durham University, and a PhD in Education from Stirling University. As an undergraduate, she was awarded the Holt Prize in Logic, Lorimer Bursary in Moral Philosophy, Caird Medal in Philosophy and Scott Scholarship in Philosophy, as well as a Carnegie grant.

 

RESEARCH

Experienced in the fields of both Adult Education and Higher Education, Jean’s research spans both areas and reflects her disciplinary backgound in Philosophy and Social Science. She continues to write and publish books and articles that aim to bridge the gap between the academic and the popular and to engage with social movements, as well as a broader public. The titles of her books reflect this: The Legacy: A Memoir (202); The Stranger Within: On the Idea of an Educated Public (2008); Liberating Knowledge: Research, Feminism and Adult Education (1999); For a Radical Higher Education: After Postmodernism (2003) with Tom Steele and Richard Taylor) and Common Science: Women, Science and Knowledge (1996) with Lynda Birke. Jean was a columnist and film reviewer for the Scottish Review until it ceased publication in 2023, having contributed editorially to much earlier ‘alternative’ and community newspapers, including Glasgow News. Her most recent book, The Legacy, written during the coronavirus pandemic, extends her interest in adult education’s role in relation to social movements and the development of an educated public to the practices and processes of archival and genealogical research.   

 

 

SERVICES TO LEARNED SOCIETIES AND OTHER EXTERNAL COMMITMENTS

 

Adviser in Adult and Continuing Education Projects for the Subject Advisers College, British Council 2006-2008

 

Member of Universities Association for Lifelong Learning (UALL) Executive Committee 2005 - 2008

 

Member of Research Committee of Scottish Universities Association for Lifelong Learning (SUALL) 2005-2008  

 

Invited External Assessor and Chair in Adult and Community Education, NUI, Maynooth, Ireland 2005

 

Member of Teaching Programme Review (TPR) of Community Education, University of Edinburgh 2005

 

Member of Standing Conference for University Teaching and Research in the Education of Adults (SCUTREA) 2004-2008

 

Visiting Professor, Department of Philosophy and Visual Culture, University of Pretoria, July 2004

 

Visiting Professor/Research Fellow, Centre for Research and Teaching on Women, McGill University, Canada, Sept-Dec  2003

 

External Representative, Validation Board for Continuing Education Courses, University of Edinburgh 2001-2003

 

Provision of oral evidence to Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee of the Scottish Parliament 2001- 2003

 

Member, Editorial Board, New Zealand Journal of Adult Education 1997- 2000

 

Member, Steering Committee, Women into Science and Engineering Research Project, SHEFC 1995- 1997

 

Member, Scottish Universities Association for Lifelong Learning (SUALL) 1993 - 2008

 

Vice-convenor, Innovation and Change Steering Sub-Committee, Scottish Institute of Adult and Continuing Education (SIACE) 1987-1989

 

Member, Committee for the Validation of Community Education Training (CeVe), Scottish Community Education Council (SCEC) 1987- 1989

 

Scottish Representative, National Institute of Adult and Continuing Education (NIACE) 1986 - 1989

 

Member of Continuing Education Committee of the British Broadcasting Council 1986-1989

 

Director, Scottish Community Education Council (SCEC) (a lay position, appointed by Secretary of State) 1983- 1988

 

Member of Executive Committee of Scottish Institute of Adult and Continuing Education (SIACE)  1982 - 1989

 

 

UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW AND FACULTY OF EDUCATION COMMITTEES

 

University

Scottish Training on Drugs and Alcohol (STRADA) Board of Management 2001-2003

Senate 1999-2008

Wider Access and Flexible Provision Committee (re-named Widening Participation Committee) 1999-2003

University of Glasgow and St Andrews College Merger Implementation Group 1999-2000

Glasgow University Initiative in Distance Education (GUIDE) 1999-2003

Board of Scottish Community Development Centre 1999-2003

Bachelor of Community Education/Community Development Board of Management 1999-2003

 

Faculty

Higher Degrees Committee 2005-2008

Research Committee 2004-2008

Promotions Committee 2004-2008

Studentships Committee 2004-2008

Research Assessment Exercisw Group 2004-2008

Undergraduate Studies Committee 2001-2003

Teaching and Learning Committee 2001-2003

Management Group 1999-2003 and 2005-2008

 

 

EXTERNAL EXAMINERSHIPS

 

University of Auckland, New Zealand: PhD candidate 2002-2003

University of Ulster (Fermanagh College): Access Courses 1999-2003

University of Leeds: M.Ed and Ed.D 1999-2003

University of Aberdeen: Women’s Studies 1995-1999

University of Strathclyde: Women’s Studies 1992-1996

 

JOURNAL REFEREEING AND REVIEWING

 

Studies in the Education of Adults

Journal of Teaching in Higher Education

International Journal of Lifelong Education

Studies in Science Education

New Zealand Journal of Continuing Education

National Institute of Adult and Continuing Education (NIACE) Book Proposals

Reviewer, Leverhume Trust Major Research Fellowships and ESRC Research Fellowship

 

 

PUBLICATIONS

 

Books

 

Barr, J. (2022) The Legacy: A Memoir, The Book Guild, ISBN 978 1915352 392

 

Barr, J. (2008) The Stranger Within: On the Idea of an Educated Public, Rotterdam, Sense Publishers, ISBN 978-90-8790-529-3

 

Taylor, R., Barr, J. and Steele, T. (2002) For a Radical Higher Education: After Postmodernism, Milton Keynes, Society for Research in Higher Education and Open University Press, ISBN 0335-20868

 

Barr, J. (1999) Liberating Knowledge: Research, Feminism and Adult Education, Leicester, National Institute for Adult and Continuing Education (NIACE), ISBN 1862-010463

 

Barr, J. and Birke, L. (1998) Common Science? Women, Science and Knowledge, Indiana, Indiana University Press, ISBN 0253-333865

 

Chapters in Books

 

Barr, J. (2023) “Unfinished Business: Forgotten Histories of Women’s Scholarship and the Shifting Status of Women’s Education” in Maria Slowey, Herbert Hinzen, Michael Omolewa, Michael Osborne (eds.) Adult Education and Social Justice: International Perspectives, Firenze, Firenze University, pp. 86-95, ISBN 9781913546861

 

Barr, J. (2018) “The Direction of Post-School Education in Scotland” in T.G.K. Bryce, W.M. Humes, D. Gillies and A. Kennedy (eds.) Scottish Education, Fifth Edition, Edinburgh, Edinburgh University Press, pp. 927-936, ISBN 978 14744 3784 4

 

Barr, J. (2016) “Adult Education and Radical Museology” in Darlene E. Clover, Kathy Sanford, Kay Johnson, Lorraine Bell (eds.) Adult Education, Museums and Art Galleries: Animating Social, Cultural and Institutional Change, Rotterdam, Sense Publishers, pp. 27-37, ISBN 978-94-6300-687-3

 

Barr, J. and Griffiths, M. (2004) "Training the Imagination to go Visiting" in Jon Nixon and Melanie Walker (eds.) Reclaiming Universities from a Runaway World, Maidenhead and New York, SRHE and Open University Press, pp. 85-99, ISBN 0335-212913

 

Barr, J. (1998) "Women, Adult Education and Really Useful Knowledge" in J. Crowther and I. Martin (eds.) Popular Education and Social Movements in Scotland Today, Leicester, NIACE, pp. 70-82, ISBN 1-86201-041-2

 

Barr, J. (1997) "Keeping a Low Profile: Adult Education in Scotland" in C. McConnell (ed.) The Making of an Empowering Profession, Edinburgh, Scottish Community Education Council, pp. 255-260, ISBN 0-947919-75-9

 

Barr, J. and Birke, L. (1997) "Women, Science and Adult Education: Towards a Feminist Curriculum?" in M. Maynard (ed.) Science and the Construction of Women, London, UCL Press, pp. 76-92,  ISBN 1-85728-787-8

 

Barr, J. (1983) "A Pre-school Community Project in Scotland: A Case Study", in Eradicating Handicap, Unit 14, Special Needs in Education, Milton Keynes, Open University Press

 

Journal Articles

 

Barr, J. (2024) “Adult Education and The Legacy: Recovering Undiscovered Public Knowledge”, Forum, 66(3): Reconstructing Adult Education for the Common Good, pp. 86-95, ISSN 090638253

 

Barr, J. (2024) “Family Secrets: Questioning the Past”, Concept: The Journal of Contemporary Community Education Practice and Theory, 15(3), pp. 1-9,  Online ISSN 2042-6 968

 

Barr, J. (2007) “Educational Research and Undiscovered Public Knowledge”, Studies in the Education of Adults, 39(1), pp. 22-37, ISSN 0266-0830

 

Barr, J. (2006) "Re-framing the Democratic Intellect", Scottish Affairs, 55(1), pp. 23-46, ISSN 0966 0356 05/06-1

 

Barr, J. (2006) "Reframing the Idea of an Educated Public", Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 27(2), pp. 225-239, ISSN 01596306

 

Barr, J. (2005) "Dumbing Down", Adults Learning, 16(9), pp. 16-18, ISSN 09552308

Barr, J. (2005) "Dumbing Down Intellectual Culture: Frank Furedi, Lifelong Learning and Museums", Museum & Society, 3(2), pp. 98-114, ISSN 1479-8360

 

Barr, J. and Steele, T. (2003) "Revaluing the Enlightenment: Reason and Imagination", Journal of Teaching in Higher Education, 8(4), pp 505 515, ISSN 1356-2517

 

Barr, J. (2002) "Universities After Postmodernism", International Journal of Lifelong Education, 21(4), pp. 321-333, ISSN 0260-1370

 

Barr, J. (2002) "Erasing the Margins - Education, Education, Education", Concept: The Journal of Contemporary Community Education Practice and Theory, 12(2), pp 9-15, Online ISSN 2042-6 968

 

Barr, J. (2000) "Engaging Educational Research", Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 21(3), pp. 311-321, ISSN 01596306

 

Barr, J. and Birke, L. (1997) "Women, Science and Adult Education: Towards a Feminist Curriculum?", Women's Studies International Forum, 17(5), pp. 473-483, ISSN 0277-5395 (Reprinted in M. Maynard (ed.) Science and the Construction of Women (1997), as above)

 

Barr, J. (1996) "The SHEFC Review of Adult and Continuing Education", International Journal of Lifelong Education, 15(6),  pp. 471-478, ISSN 0260-1370

 

Barr, J., Findsen, B. (1996) "Adult Education in New Zealand and Scotland: A Comparison", Scottish Journal of Adult and Continuing Education 3(2), pp. 43-65,  ISSN 1361-7788

 

Barr, J. and Birke, L. (1995) "Cultures and Contexts of Adult Learners: The Case of Women and Science", Studies in the Education of Adults, 27(2), pp. 119-132, ISSN 0039-3525

 

Barr, J. (1994) "Whose Knowledge - Access to What?", Scottish Journal of Adult and Continuing Education, 1(2), pp. 50-54, ISSN 1361-7788

 

Barr, J. (1991) “Women, Education and Counselling”, Reportback, The Workers’ Educational Association Review: Towards 2000, 1(1), pp. 20-21

 

Barr, J. (1987) “Keeping a Low Profile: Adult Education in Scotland”, Adult Education, 59(4), pp. 329-334 (1987) ISSN 001-849X (Re-printed in C. McConnel (ed.)(1997), as above)

 

Selected Book Reviews

 

Barr, J. (2005) Review of Disseminating Qualitative Research in Educational Settings: A Critical Introduction, edited by Christina Hughes (2003), Studies in the Education of Adults, 37(1), pp. 78-103, ISSN 0266-0830 [Book Reviews]

 

Barr, J. (2005) Review of Unsettling the Horses: Interrogating Adult Education Perspectives, edited by Anne Ryan and Tony Walsh (2005), Studies in the Education of Adults, 37(2), pp. 217-236, ISSN: 0266-0830 [Book Reviews]

 

Barr, J. (2003) Review of Accessing Education: Effectively Widening Participation, by Penny

Burke, (2002), Teaching in Higher Education, 8(2), pp. 295-301, ISSN 1356-2517 [Book Reviews]

 

Barr, J. (2002) Review of Shifting the Boundaries:Feminist Practices in Adult Education, edited by by Anita Devos (1999), International Journal of Lifelong Education, 21(2), pp. 191-194, ISSN 0260-1370 [Book Reviews]

 

Barr, J. (2002) Review of Coming of Age in Academe: Rekindling Women's Hopes and Reforming the Academy, by Jane Roland Martin (2000), Journal of Widening Participation and Lifelong Learning, 4(2), pp. 47-51, ISSN 1466-6529 [Book Reviews]

 

Barr, J. (2001) Review of UnderEducating Women: Globalizing Inequality by Jackie Brine (1999), British Journal of Educational Studies, 49(2), pp. 213-238, ISSN 0007-1005 [Book Reviews]

 

 

Contribution to Policy Reports

 

Forsyth, A., Cloonan, M. and Barr, J. (2005) Factors Associated with Alcohol-Related Problems Within Licensed Premises: Report to the Great Glasgow NHS Board, Project Report, Glasgow NHS Board, Glasgow

 

Barr, J. (1988) Adult and Continuing Education in Scotland - The Way Forward, WEA Scottish Council Policy Consultative Document (Secretary and Main Author)

 

Barr, J. (1988) Adult and Continuing Education in Scotland Now and Then, Scottish Community Education Council Policy Report (Contributing Author)

 

Barr, J (1987) Working with the Black Community, WEA National Working Group Report (Contributing Author)

 

Barr, J, (1985) Adult Basic Education, WEA National Working Group Report (Chair and Main Author)

 

Barr, J. (1984) "Women's Education: The Ways Forward", in Making our Future: Change in Women's Education, Workers Educational Association (First published in The Future of Women’s Education Conference Report, Durham University

 

 

CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS

 

Keynote Addresses and Selected Other Invited Conference Presentations

 

Barr, J. (2025) “Discovering and Writing The Legacy: A Memoir – One Family’s Role in Britain’s Cover-ups”, Keynote Address, Postgraduate Genealogical Studies International Virtual Conference, Strathclyde University, 30 April, 2025

 

Barr, J. (2024) “Missionary Positions - The Legacy: A Memoir”, plenary paper, Scottish Church History Autumn Conference – The Church and Society, University of Edinburgh, 23 November, 2024

 

Barr, J. (2006) "Putting the Culture Back into Lifelong Learning: The case of museums", seminar paper presented at the Lifelong Learning Institute, School of Education, University of Leeds Seminar Series, Leeds, 6 March 2006

 

Barr, J. (2006) "Feminist Epistemology and Engaging Educational Research", invited seminar paper presented at the Department of Education, University of Stockholm, , Sweden, 20 April 2006

 

Barr, J. (2006) "Reframing the Idea of an Educated Public and the Crisis of the Democratic Intellect", invited seminar paper presented at the Stockholm Institute of Education, Sweden, 26 April 2006

 

Barr, J. (2005) “Museums and Adult Education”, Keynote Address and Session Chair, Lifelong Learning in Museums and Galleries Conference, Moderna Museet, Stockholm, 14-18 June 2005

 

Barr, J. (2005) "Re-framing the Idea of an Educated Public: Adam Smith, Sublimation and the Scottish Democratic Intellect", Keynote Address, Theorising and Performing Knowledge, Faculties of Arts and Education International Conference on Teaching, Learning and Research, University of Glasgow, 25-26 November 2005

 

Barr, J. (2005) "Dumbing Down Intellectual Culture", UALL Annual Conference, University of Edinburgh, March 2005

 

Barr, J. (2004) "Reframing Old Masters: from liberating knowledge to the democratic intellect", Keynote Address, University of Sheffield EdD Conference, Dublin, 14 May 2004

 

Barr, J. (2005) "Museums, Adult Education and the Backlash to Access" paper presented at the UALL Annual Conference, Edinburgh 21 - 23 March 2005

 

Barr, J. (2005) "Re-framing the Democratic Intellect" seminar paper presented at the Seventh Edinburgh Biennial Adult Education Conference, Edinburgh, 26 Nov. 2005

 

Barr, J. (2004) "Cultural Entitlement and What Museums and Galleries can contribute to Adult Learning", Keynote Address, Engage International Colloquium, Tate Modern, London, 16 June 2004 http://wvvw.collectandshare.eu.comgssfsvkmonbIsny45u3wv4v55)/renorts/index.aspx

 

Barr, J. (2004) "Museums, Popular Culture and Adult Learning" Keynote Address, Educational Centres Association Conference on Arts, Culture and Lifelong Learning, Manchester Museum, 20 October 2004

 

Barr, J. (2004) "Taking Lifelong Learning Seriously: An Alternative Vision", Keynote Address, Diversity in Higher Education, WERRC Conference, University College, Dublin, November 2004

 

Barr, J. (2004) "Adult Learning, Community Renewal and New Labour" Professorial Lecture, Faculty of Education, University of Glasgow, 10 June 2004

 

Barr, J. (2004) "Postmodern Enlightenment and the Idea of an Educated Public", paper presented at Intellectual Crossroads Colloquium, University of Pretoria, South Africa, 14 July 2004

 

Barr, J. (2003) "Scotland, Canada and Democratic Intellectualism", paper presented at Centre for Research and Teaching on Women Research Seminar Series, McGill University, Montreal, Canada, 27 October 2003

 

Barr, J. (2002) "Revaluing the Enlightenment: The University and the Educated Public", paper presented at European Access Network Conference, Prato, Italy, June 2002

 

Barr, J. (2002) "Can there be a Radical Higher Education?", paper presented at Second International Conference of the Popular Education Network, Barcelona, September 2002

 

Barr, J. (2001) "Erasing the Margins: Education, Education, Education", Keynote Address, Reclaiming Social Purpose, Fifth Edinburgh Biennial Adult Education Conference, March 2001, University of Edinburgh (published in Concept - see above under Journal articles)

 

Barr, J. (2001) "Citizenship and Social Inclusion", invited speaker at 3rd Uppingham Residential Seminar, Development: Discourse and Diversity, Uppingham Hall, February 2001

 

Barr, J. (2001) "What is Educational Research", invited paper presented as part of University of Nottingham Philosophy of Education Seminar Series, October 2001

 

Barr, J. (2000) "Engaging Educational Research", paper presented at Creating Knowledge in the 21st Century: Insights from Multiple Perspectives, American Educational Research Association Conference, New Orleans, USA, April 2000

 

Barr, J. (2000) "Universities and Lifelong Learning", plenary address at inaugural conference of the Centre for Research in Lifelong Learning, Glasgow Caledonian University, May 2000

 

Barr, J. (2000) "Philosophy of Education in Lifelong Learning", invited lecture at Socrates International Week 2000, University of Bremen, June 2000

 

Barr, J. (2000) "Lifelong Learning and Active Citizenship", paper presented as member of Doing Citizenship Research Network, Open University, London, June 2000

 

Barr, J (1999) "Adult Education at the Margins", Keynote Address, From the Margins to the Mainstream: the role of adult learning and guidance in social inclusion, North East Scotland Adult Education (NESAE) Annual Conference Report, November 1999

 

Barr. J. (1999) "Women's Education as a Space for Democratising Practices in Education", Keynote Address, Women's Education:The Next Thousand Years, Workers' Educational Association/Opportunities for Women Learning (WEA/OWL) Conference Report, November 1999, Lusty Beg, Northern Ireland

 

Barr, J. (1999) "Liberating Knowledge: Research Methodology in Continuing Education", invited paper presented at Research Seminar, Warwick University Centre for Continuing Education, December 1999

 

Barr, J. (1999) "Doing Autobiographical Educational Research", paper presented at invited seminar, Little StoriesSsmall Tales/Educational Research, Nottingham Trent University, Stoke Rochford Hall, December 1999

 

Barr, J. (1998) "Adult Education, Gender and Really Useful Knowledge", paper presented at Gendering the Millennium International Conference, University of Dundee, 1998

 

Barr, J. (1998) Invited Response to "Naming the Uncertain Future - the Possibilities and Limits of Agency", Keynote Address, International Conference on Experiential Learning, University of Tampere, Finland, 1998

 

Barr, J. (1997) "Becoming an Adult Educator", lecture given at the Fourth Ph.D. International Summer School, European Adult Education, Societal Change and Culture, Anogia, Crete,  1997

 

Barr, J. (1997) "Women, Adult Education and Really Useful Knowledge", paper presented at Education, Knowledge and Culture, the International Sociological Association Conference of the Sociology of Education Research Committee, University of Joensuu, Finland, 1997

 

Barr, J. (1994) "Women, Women's Studies and Science", paper presented at Women Breaking Boundaries in Higher Education: Struggles and Successes, Women in Higher Education Network Conference, University of Central Lancashire, 1994

 

 

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