Brian W. Dotts

Brian W. Dotts, PhD, is a non-tenure-track Professor of Educational Foundations, University of Georgia. He has published peer-reviewed books and papers in the history of American Education, specifically focusing on educational and political theories during the American Revolution and early national period, common school politics during the Antebellum Era, John Dewey and Social Reconstructionism during the early twentieth century, and educational foundations as an academic field. Dotts has also published papers related to multiculturalism and the school privatization movement. His most recent book, published by Cambridge University Press, won the 2020 Society of Professors of Education Book Award.

Dotts has been a member of the University of Georgia’s Graduate Faculty since 2010. Dotts coordinated the College of Education’s Educational Foundations courses from 2010 to 2018. Dotts taught numerous graduate Educational Foundations courses before the deactivation of this academic “program.” Upon the planned deactivation of the former “Social Foundations Program,” Dotts was transferred to the Department of Educational Theory and Practice so the department head at that time could teach educational history courses. Prior to and following the deactivation of this “Program,” Dotts agreed to take on and prepare numerous Social Foundations doctoral students. The last student graduated in 2018. Thereafter, Dotts' graduate work was no longer needed by the College, and he was then required to adhere to his 2009 contract by teaching only undergraduate social foundations courses (EDUC 2110 and EDUC 2120) per the current Dean. Likewise, his research and publishing came to an end in 2020 in order to strictly adhere to his 2009 contract.