Biography | John Allison

John at the Taj Mahal, Agra, 2004

My two central research passions are education and international relations. I have always been fascinated by the importance of education both at the local and at the international level. It is crucial to understanding and living together in peace. In pursuit of this I have criss-crossed Ontario and travelled world-wide.

Prior to coming to Nipissing University, I worked at the Academic Council on the United Nations(ACUNS) in Waterloo, Ontario. Concurrent with this I taught at the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University. These experiences were very fulfilling in terms of educating others and being educated about the world. In the 1990s, I also taught French as a Second Language(FSL) at the Primary, Junior and Intermediate levels. Languages are yet another key to understanding!

Also on this journey, I completed a Doctor of Education (Ed.D) degree from the University of Toronto in 1999. and a Master of Science in International Relations degree from the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom in 1990. In an earlier foray into Northern Ontario while at Lakehead University in 1990-1991, I very much enjoyed my own preservice experience in the Bachelor of Education program. I also became aware of the critical northern and First Nations areas of Canada through this experience as well.

My current research centers on the history of education diplomacy in Canada and Canadian foreign policy, the wider role of IGOs in creating civilizational norms for education systems, and the history of education more generally. I am also very interested in the long-term impact of international practicums on teachers’ world view and where these experiences lead them in their careers.

John at the Ontario College of Teachers in Toronto, 2010

In 2010, I joined Graduate Studies at Nipissing University, so continue to look forward to working with M.Ed. students in my History of Education and Comparative and International Education courses.