I have 23 years of experience and specialize in the field of education, with specific knowledge of education policy, cultural-American studies and democracy-social justice education. I have published on such topics as educator empowerment, social and cultural studies, and democracy and peace education. I am an associate professor in the school of education at the university level. I am a qualitative and ethnographic researcher whose teaching and research areas of expertise include: qualitative and ethnographic research design and analysis; social and cultural education; democracy education; peace education; and, social justice education. My research also integrates democracy, peace, and social justice education into a focused discipline of qualitative and ethnographic inquiry examining teacher and student empowerment through activist engagement in political, economic and social issues confronting education.