School of Education
Associate Professor of Philosophy of Education
College of Social Sciences Director of Postgraduate Research
Contact details
- Address
- School of Education
University 麻豆精选
Edgbaston, Birmingham
B15 2TT, United Kingdom
Dr Laura D’Olimpio is Associate Professor of Philosophy of Education and CoSS PGR Director at the University 麻豆精选, UK. A philosopher interested in aesthetics, ethics and philosophy in schools, prior to taking up this position in 2019, Laura was Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at The University of Notre Dame Australia.
Her published books include Philosophy of Education (forthcoming 2025, Palgrave Macmillan); (2024, Bloomsbury); (2023, Icon Books); (2023, Routledge) and (2018, Routledge).
Laura completed her PhD ‘The Moral Possibilities of Mass Art’ in Philosophy at The University of Western Australia. She is co-founding editor of the open access and a regular contributor to public philosophy outlets such as The Conversation, Philosophy Now magazine, The Ethics Centre, and ABC Radio National’s Philosopher’s Zone and The Minefield.
- PhD in Philosophy, University of Western Australia (UWA)
- Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Philosophy, UWA
Laura D'Olimpio supervises postgraduate research students working in the fields of philosophy and philosophy of education.
She has particular expertise in the following areas:
- Moral education
- Moral philosophy and applied ethics
- Aesthetics; particularly aesthetics and ethics
- Philosophy in schools
- Media, mass art, technology and digital literacy
- Philosophy of film and literature
- Virtue ethics and character education
- Public philosophy
Laura’s recently published second monograph, (2024, Bloomsbury), defends the necessity of arts education for all school-aged students on the basis of its distinctive value. In this ‘manifesto’, Laura claims that life without access to aesthetic experiences is diminished and therefore educators have a responsibility to cultivate a receptiveness to what the multiple and various arts offer. You can hear her being interviewed on this topic on ABC Radio National’s ‘: ‘How important is aesthetic education?’ which aired in February 2025.
Laura’s first monograph, (Routledge, 2018), claims that philosophical thinking skills support the adoption of an attitude she calls ‘critical perspectivism’. Critical perspectivism gives citizens the ability to engage with multiple perspectives, particularly those received via online media, in a critical and compassionate manner. This monograph won the 2018 PESA (Philosophy of Education Society of Australasia) Annual Book Award.
Laura is currently writing a textbook designed to support the teaching of Philosophy of Education. Co-authored with Jane Gatley and Ruth Wareham, Philosophy of Education is due to be published in 2025 in Palgrave’s ‘Philosophy Today’ book series. The key concepts explored in this book include learning, teaching, indoctrination, knowledge, equality, intelligence, virtue, and rights. Each chapter firstly examines one key concept which is then connected to a theorised aim of education. The aims considered are rationality (i.e. critical thinking), epistemic, social justice, vocational, flourishing, and political (i.e. citizenship). Each chapter concludes with a third section connecting the key concept and aim of education under discussion to an applied example. Also included are study and research tools such as suggestions for further readings, research or essay questions and a chapter summary.
A proponent of public philosophy, Laura has also edited a public philosophy book, (2023, Icon Books). Here, 50 ‘big questions’ are explored with short, quick-fire and longer answers, plus an illustrated concept or thought experiment accompanying each key idea. The book also contains mind maps and definitions, along with resources for further exploration into the topics that are of most interest.
Recent publications
Book
D'Olimpio, L, Gatley, J & Wareham, R 2025, . Palgrave Philosophy Today, 1 edn, Palgrave Macmillan.
D'Olimpio, L 2024, . Bloomsbury Philosophy of Education, 1st edn, Bloomsbury Publishing, London. <>
D'Olimpio, L 2023, . Short Cuts, Icon Books, London. <>
D'Olimpio, L, Paris, P & Thompson, A (eds) 2022, . Routledge International Studies in the Philosophy of Education, 1st edn, Routledge, Abingdon, London.
Article
D'Olimpio, L 2024, '', Educational Theory.
D'Olimpio, L 2023, '', Educational Theory, vol. 73, no. 3, pp. 394-412.
D'Olimpio, L 2023, '', Oxford Review of Education.
D'Olimpio, L 2022, '', Journal of Philosophy of Education, vol. 56, no. 2, pp. 238-250.
D'Olimpio, L 2022, '', Beijing International Review of Education, vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 339-342.
Buchanan, RA, Forster, DJ, Douglas, S, Nakar, S, Boon, HJ, Heath, T, Heyward, P, D鈥橭limpio, L, Ailwood, J, Eacott, S, Smith, S, Peters, M & Tesar, M 2022, '', Educational Philosophy and Theory, vol. 54, no. 8, pp. 1178-1197.
Chapter
D鈥橭limpio, L 2022, . in L D'Olimpio, P Paris & AP Thompson (eds), Educating Character Through the Arts. 1st edn, Routledge International Studies in the Philosophy of Education, Routledge, pp. 66-83.
D鈥橭limpio, L, Paris, P & Thompson, AP 2022, . in L D'Olimpio, P Paris & AP Thompson (eds), Educating Character Through the Arts. 1st edn, Routledge International Studies in the Philosophy of Education, Routledge, London.
Digital or Visual Products
D'Olimpio, L & Bortolotti, L, , 2024, Digital or Visual Products, Online. <>
Editorial
D'Olimpio, L & Hand, M 2023, '', Educational Theory, vol. 73, no. 3, pp. 337-340.
Web publication/site
Bortolotti, L, Murphy-Hollies, K, D'Olimpio, L, Reglitz, M, Williams, J & Brozzo, C, , 2023, Web publication/site. <>
Laura was the top contributor to The Conversation for the University of Notre Dame Australia (2014-2018). She has written for public philosophy publications such as Philosophy Now magazine, ABC’s Religion and Ethics website, and is currently writing for The Ethics Centre.
She is often interviewed on the Australian Broadcasting Association (ABC) and is a regular contributor to their Radio National programmes, including Philosopher’s Zone and The Minefield.
Selected public philosophy publications:
Articles
- 2025 ‘ ABC Religion and Ethics website.
- 2024 ‘’, The Conversation UK.
- 2020 ‘’ The Conversation UK.
- 2019 ‘’ for TES (Times Educational Supplement).
- 2018 ‘’ Philosophy Now.
- 2017 ‘’ ABC Religion and Ethics website.
- 2017 ‘’ ABC Religion and Ethics website.
- 2017 ‘Lost in Translation’ Philosophy Now.
- 2017 ‘’ Radio National Philosopher’s Zone Website.
- 2016 ‘’ ABC Website.
- 2016 ‘’ The Conversation.
- 2016 ‘’ ABC Religion and Ethics website.
- 2016 ‘’ The Conversation.
- 2016 ‘’ ABC Radio National website.
- 2015 ‘’ ABC Radio National website
Radio interviews
- 5 Feb 2025 ‘’ interviewed for ABC Radio National ‘Philosopher’s Zone’
- 26 Jan 2024 ‘ interviewed for PES podcast ‘Thinking in the Midst’
- 14 Oct 2023 ‘ interviewed for Teacher’s Talk radio
- 8 May 2022 ‘’ Guest Producer for ABC Radio National ‘Philosopher’s Zone’
- 3 April 2022 ‘’ Guest Producer for ‘Philosopher’s Zone’
- 13 March 2022 ‘’ Guest Producer for ‘Philosopher’s Zone’
- 23 Feb 2020 ‘’ Guest Producer for ABC Radio National ‘Philosopher’s Zone’
- 19 Aug 2018 ‘’ Guest Producer for ‘Philosopher’s Zone’
- 29 Apr 2018 ‘’ Guest Producer for ‘Philosopher’s Zone’
- 18 Mar 2018 ‘’ Guest Producer for ‘Philosopher’s Zone’
- 15 Oct 2017 ‘’ Guest Producer for ‘Philosopher’s Zone’
- 17 Sept 2017 ‘’ interviewed for ‘Philosopher’s Zone’
- 8 Mar 2017 ‘’ Guest host for ABC Radio National’s ‘The Minefield’
- 29 Jan 2017 ‘’. Guest Producer for ‘Philosopher’s Zone’
- 23 Oct 2016 ‘’ Guest Producer for ‘Philosopher’s Zone’
- 14 July 2016 ‘’ interviewed for The Minefield with Waleed Aly & Scott Stephens
- 22 May 2016 ‘’ Guest Producer for ‘Philosopher’s Zone’
- 25 Oct 2015 ‘’ Guest Producer for ‘Philosopher’s Zone’
- 31 May 2015 ‘’ Guest Producer for ‘Philosopher’s Zone’
- 4 July 2014 ‘’ Guest Producer for ‘Philosopher’s Zone’