Isaac Leon Kandel (1881-1965) was a major figure in educational philosophy and comparative education in the twentieth century. As a professor of education at Columbia University’s Teachers College, Kandel almost single-handedly developed the field of comparative education, and was an early critic of Progressive educational philosophy. As the definitive biography of one of the twentieth century’s most brilliant writers on education, this book presents Kandel as a democratic traditionalist who tirelessly advocated the ideal of liberal education for all. This book tells the story of Kandel’s life and the many obstacles that he faced because of his faith and political views. The philosophy of democratic schooling that Kandel embodies is crucial to the reconstruction of American education today. Peerless Educator will be of interest not only to scholars of education, but also to practitioners who want to improve education in the twenty-first century.

The Author: J. Wesley Null is a curriculum theorist and historian of education at Baylor University, where he holds appointments in the School of Education and the Honors College. Null teaches curriculum and foundations of education in the School of Education and interdisciplinary courses on social science and great texts in the Honors College. Null is co-editor, with Diane Ravitch, of Forgotten Heroes of American Education: The Great Tradition of Teaching Teachers (2006). He is also the editor of The Pursuit of Curriculum: Schooling and the Public Interest (2006). Null is the author of A Disciplined Progressive Educator: The Life and Career of William Chandler Bagley (Peter Lang, 2003), and has published widely on curriculum theory and educational history. He is currently serving as editor of the American Educational History Journal.