Dr Scherto Gill
| Location: | ESSEX HOUSE c/o Education |
| Email: | S.R.Gill@sussex.ac.uk |
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Biography
Dr Scherto Gill is a Visiting Fellow at the Centre for International Education and an Associate Lecturer. She teaches on both Masters’ and Doctoral programmes. She is also a Senior Fellow at the GHFP Research Institute, an international peace think-tank based in the Southeast of England.
Scherto's research interests centre on understanding peace, human well-being and flourishing as a holistic and dynamic process. The key concepts she is developing include education as peace, human-centred education, narrative pedagogy, dialogic approach to peace education. She is keen to explore how to apply these concepts in the teaching and learning at all levels towards personal and social transformation.
Scherto's doctoral thesis explored intercultural dialogue, and has thus developed the theorisation of intercultural identity and intercultural learning. Through this work, Scherto became interested in using narrative and life history to examine people's experiences of learning, well-being, conflict and peacefulness.
From 2005 to 2014, Scherto was the convener of an MA in Educational Studies programme with a focus on Human-Centred Education. The course also applied biographical approaches to self-understanding and dialogue as pedagogy. Currently Scherto continues to offer a wide range of seminars and lectures on topics around human-centred education, peace education and dialogue-based and relational approach to social research. Her teaching is about supporting students in exploring their own journeys of learning and research inquiry and helping them to become confident educational researchers and practitioners.
As a researcher, Scherto has led research projects worldwide. Here are a few examples of her most recent research. Currently, she is leading a multi-site research exploring how a human-centred approach might help enhance whole person engagement in learning, well-being and ethical relationships in the school communities in the UK, China, Indonesia and Colombia. In 2014-6, she was the principal investigator of a research evaluation on the 'Healing the Wounds of History' programme in Lebanon. In 2013-2015, she directed a research project that collected personal narratives aimed to illustrate individuals’ understanding of what counts as their well-being and how such an understanding might enable them to pursue a flourishing life. In 2013/4, she led a research into education as humanisation and dialogue pedagogy for peacebuilding in post-conflict countries.
Scherto is a member of British Education Research Association and European Society of Research in Education, a Fellow of British Royal Society of the Arts (FRSA) and an Associate of the Taos Institute. She is also the Director of a UNESCO Research on 'Healing the Wounds of Slavery', a board member of Spirit of Humanity Forum, and a board member of Rising Global Peace Forum.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Books and chapters
Gergen, K. & Gill, S. (2020). Beyond the Tyranny of Testing: Relational Evaluation in Education, New York: Oxford University Press
Gill, S. & Thomson, G. (eds). (2020). Ethical Education: Towards an Ecology of Human Development, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Gill, S. (2020). "Learning to Engage with Others: Ethical Education in Schools", in S. Gill & G. Thomson (eds). Ethical Education: Towards an Ecology of Human Development, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Gill, S. (2020). "Ethical Education in Schools: A Case Study of Pedagogical Practices in UK and Colombian Classrooms", in S. Gill & G. Thomson (eds). Ethical Education: Towards an Ecology of Human Development, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Gill, S. & Thomson, G. (2020). "Towards Systemic Transformation in Education", in S. Gill & G. Thomson (eds). Ethical Education: Towards an Ecology of Human Development, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Thomson, G. & Gill, S. (Forthcoming 2020). Happiness, Flourishing and the Good Life: A Transformative Vision of Human Well-Being, London: Routledge
Gill, S. & Thomson, G. (2018). Understanding Peace Holistically: From the Spiritual to the Political, New York: Peter Lang
Gill, S. (2017). “Peace as Communing”, in S. Gill. & D. Cadman (eds). Peacefulness: Being Peace and Making Peace, Reykjavik: Spirit of Humanity Press
Gill, S. & Cadman, D. (eds.) (2017). Peacefulness: Being Peace and Making Peace, Reykjavik: Spirit of Humanity Press
Gill, S. & Thomson, G. (2016). Human-Centred Education: A practical guide London: Routledge
Gill, S. (2016). The Homecoming: An Investigation into the Effect of Studying Overseas on the Returned Chinese Postgraduates’ Life and Work in China, in S. Guo (Ed). Spotlight on China: Chinese Education in the Globalized World, Sense Publishers
Gill, S. & Niens, U. (eds.) (2016). Education as Humanisation, London: Routledge
Gill, S. & Cadman, D. (eds.) (2015). Why Love Matters: Values in Governance, New York: Peter Lang
Gill, S. & Thomson, G. (eds.) (2014). Redefining Religious Education: Spirituality and Human Flourishing, New York: Palgrave Macmillan
Gill, S. (2014). “Interreligious Education” in S. Gill & G Thomson (eds.) Redefining Religious Education: Spirituality and Human Flourishing, New York: Palgrave Macmillan
Gill, S. & Goodson, I. (2013). Critical Narrative as Pedagogy, London: Bloomsbury
Gill, S. & Thomson, G. (2012). Rethinking Secondary Education: A Human-Centred Approach. Oxford: Pearson Education
Goodson, I. & Gill, S. (2010). Narrative Pedagogy. New York: Peter Lang
Gill, S. (2010). Learning across cultures. Berlin: Lambert Academic Publishing
Gill, S. (2009). (ed.) Exploring selfhood: finding ourselves finding our stories. Brighton: Centre for Research in Human Development
Gill, S. & Goodson, I. (2009) “Narrative and life history research” in B. Somak & C. Lewin (eds.) Handbook of Social Research, London: Sage
Gill, S. (2007). “Active meaning making to address intercultural conflict”, in F. Leach & M. Dunne's (eds) Education, conflict and reconciliation, New York: Peter Lang
Gill, S. (2007). Transformation through education. Brighton: Guerrand-Hermès Foundation Publishing
Gill, S. (2006). Towards a common vision for education. Brighton: Guerrand-Hermès Foundation Publishing
Journal Articles
Gill, S. (2019). "Caring in Public Education", FORUM: For 3-19 Comprehensive Education, 61:2, 201-208
Gill, S. (2018). "Henry George Revisited", Land & Liberty, Henry George Foundation
Gill, S. (2017). “Cultivating Human Potential – Towards Flourishing of All”, Journal of Learning for Well-being, Vol. 4
Gill, S. (2017). "Collective Rights as a Potential Source for Peace, Harmony, and Well-Being in the Global Community", Expert Comment, Berlin: Dialogue of Civilizations Reserach Institute.
Gill, S. (2016). "Universities as spaces for engaging the other: Pedagogy of encounter for intercultural and interreligious education", International Review of Education - Journal of Lifelong Learning
Gill, S. (2016). “Healing Wounds of History, Addressing Roots of Violence – A Psycho-Social Approach” Programme Evaluation Report, Beirut: Centre for Lebanese Studies
Gill, S. (2015). Co-Creating a Learning Community Huffington Post. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/scherto-gill/cocreating-a-learning-com_b_8312374.html
Gill, S. (2015). Why are exams so damaging? Huffington Post. http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/scherto-gill/why-are-exams-so-damaging_b_8067652.html
Gill, S. (2015). “Holding oneself open in a conversation” – Gadamer’s philosophical hermeneutics and the ethics of dialogue, Journal of Dialogue Studies, 3:1, 9-28
Gill, S. & Niens, U. (eds.) (2014). “Dialogue and Education for Peacebuilding”, Special Issue, Journal of Comparative and International Education Vol. 44, Issue 1.
Gill, S. & Niens, U. (2014). “Education as humanisation: a theoretical review on the role of dialogic pedagogy in peacebuilding education”, Journal of Comparative and International Education Vol. 44, Issue 1.
Gill, S. (2014). Using Compassion to Rethink the Way We Evaluate Teacher Performance, Huffington Post. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/scherto-gill/using-compassion-to-rethi_b_5214082.html?1398449591
Gill, S. & Thomson, G. (2011). Social cohesion as solidarity in a community: A case study, in M. Shuayb (ed.) Education and Social Cohesion, New York: Palgrave Macmillan
Gill, S. (2010). The homecoming: an investigation into the effect that studying overseas had on Chinese postgraduates' life and work on their return to China, Journal of Comparative and International Education, 40(3), 359-376
Gill, S. (2009). Well-being in education: a conceptual framework, Working Paper, European Consortium of Learning For Well-Being
Gill, S. (2009). Well-being in education: how we integrate the voice of the child, Working Paper, European Consortium of Learning for Well-being
Gill, S (2007). Overseas students' intercultural adaptation as intercultural learning: a transformative framework. Journal of comparative and international Education
Gill, S. (2006). The cooperative culture of the New School. Snapshots,
Gill, S and Pryor, J (2006). The person who teaches? Forum, Vol 48.3 p 285-296
Conference papers and presentations
Gill, S. (2018). "Learning to be Human", Plenary Presentation at the 16th Dialogue of Civilisations Forum, Rhodes, Greece, October 2018
Gill, S. (2018). "How does education nurture caring relationships among students?", Roundtable Presentation at the 16th International Network of Philosophers of Education Conference, Haifa, Israel, August 2018
Gill, S. (2018). “Problematising the Role of Religion in Violence and in Peace”, Presentation at the Normandy World Peace Forum, Caan, Normandy, France, June, 2018
Gill, S. (2017). "Engaging Young People at the Margins: Three Pillars of Caring Education", Paper Presentation at the International Conference on Children and Youth on the Edge: Collaborative Innovations in Education, University of Absalon, Roskilde, Denmark, November 2017
Gill, S. (2017). "Re-Imagining Social Research in a Relational Key", Paper Presentation at the International Seminar of Taos China, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China, October 2017
Gill, S. (2017). “Towards Dialogue as a Human Virtue”, Panel Presentation at the 15th Dialogue of Civilisations Forum, Rhodes, Greece, October 2017
Gill, S. (2017). “Developing Ethical Relations: Learning from Gabriel Marcel”, Paper Presentation at International Symposium on Ethical Education in Schools, Highley Manor, May 2017,
Gill, S. (2017). “Cultivating Peaceful Relationship through Dialogue”, Panel Presentation at the Baku Forum on Intercultural Dialogue, Baku, May 2017
Gill, S. (2017). “Peace and Right Relationships”, Keynote Presentation at the Opening of the Spirit of Humanity Forum, Reykjavik, April 2017
Gill, S. (2016). "Education as Peace", European Peacebuilding Liaison Office Seminar, June 2016, EPLO, Brussels
Gill, S. (2016). "Universities as Space for Dialogue and Encounter", Keynote, International Conference on "Transforming Moments: Dissonance, Liminality and Action as Learning Experiences", January 2016, University of Kent.
Gill, S. (2015). ‘Healing the Wounds of History: What works, how and why? A reflection on four pilot workshops’, Paper presented at the 4th International Conference on Transgenerational Trauma, Amman, October 2015
Gill, S. (2015). ‘How can education effectively promote respect for diversity and tolerance? A Human-Centred Approach’, Paper presented at the UNESCO Panel Discussion, co-organized by the Permanent Delegation of the Republic of Latvia and UNESCO Division of Education for Teaching, Learning and Content, Education Sector, Paris, March 2015
Gill, S. (2014). ‘Whole-Person Learning and Curriculum Development’, Paper presented at the International Seminar on Social Emotional Learning, December 2014, Beijing Normal University
Gill, S. (2014). ‘Understanding the concept of peace: Flourishing – a new perspective to understanding the nature of peace’, Paper presented at International Conference on Dialogue beyond Dialogue, Vienna, November 2014.
Gill, S. (2013). ‘Understanding well-being, where do people’s narratives fit in?’ Paper presented at Well-Being 2013 conference in Birmingham
Gill, S. (2011). ‘From demonising to humanising: Transforming memories of violence to stories of peace – Exploring ethical challenges of using life narratives in peacebuilding research’, paper presented at the UKFIET conference in Oxford, September 2011
Gill, S. (2011). ‘Pedagogy of Encounter’ – A Conceptual Exploration of International Student Mobility and Internationalisation of Higher Education, invited paper presented at the IMISCOE Workshop on International Student Mobility at the University of Sussex, 27 May 2011
Gill, S & Thomson, G (2009). ‘Social cohesion through solidarity in a school community’, Paper presented at the Centre for Lebanese Studies' Annual Conference on Education and Social Cohesion, October 14-16 2009, Beirut, Lebanon
Gill, S (2009). ‘Reconceptualising the aims of higher education’, Paper presented at UKFIET Conference, September 2009, Oxford
Gill, S (2008). ‘Returnees' homecoming journey and emerging intercultural identity’, Paper presented at BAICE Conference, October 2008, Glasgow
Gill, S (2008). ‘Whole-person learning as transformation’, Paper presented at ESREA Conference, March 2008, Canterbury
Gill, S (2007). Reconceptualising learning. Paper presented at UKFIET Conference, September 2007, Oxford
Gill, S (2007). ‘Engaging teachers' learning as whole person’, Paper presented at SHRE Annual Conference, December 2007, Brighton
Gill, S (2006). ‘The school community as a transitional space’, Paper presented at ESREA Conference, March 2006, Volos, Greece
Role
Visiting Fellow and Associate Lecturer, School of Education and Social Work, University of Sussex