Dr. Ramón Robles-Fernández was born in Granada, Spain and raised in Barcelona, Spain. He holds a master’s degree in English literature and Language Teaching from the University of Barcelona, and a Doctorate in Urban Education from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York.
His dissertation research explored the impact of after school clubs and service-learning activities on students’ beliefs and attitudes towards citizenship (i.e., civic participation in a democracy), civic engagement, and political and social participation. It focused on two different organizations: Spectrum, a Gay-Straight alliance (GSA); and AMIGOS, a service-learning program. Both environments presented students with opportunities to engage in civic activities, while informing their understanding of citizenship.
His research interests include, but are not limited to, Multicultural Education, Equity and Diversity in Education focusing particularly on the experiences of LGBTQIA+ youth in K-12 settings, Bilingual Education, and the public purposes of Education and Democracy. Currently, he is working on two projects. The first one discusses how to include and discuss issues of social justice, equity and diversity in language courses. The second one studies how a particular GSA has impacted their school community through engaging in Youth Participatory Action Research.
He also holds an adjunct position at Montclair State University where he has taught graduate courses in their Master of Arts in Teaching program and the Spanish and Latino Studies Department.
Selected Publications
Robles-Fernandez, R. (2014). Becoming an LGBTQ activist: The story of a young queer activist. The gay agenda: Claiming space, identity, and justice, 37-52.
Robles-Fernandez, R. (2014). A GSAs impact on students’ beliefs and attitudes toward civic and political participation, civic engagement, and social justice. Gender and sexualities in education: A reader, 284-297.