Professor James Arthur is the former Director of the Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues between May 2012 and October 2023. James was Head of the School of Education from 2010-2015 and Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor from 2015-2019. He was previously Editor of the British Journal of Educational Studies for ten years and holds numerous honorary titles and Fellowships in the academe, including Honorary Professor at the University of Glasgow, Faculty Affiliate at Harvard University, Senior Fellow of Boston College, and Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Oxford. James was made an Officer of the British Empire by the Queen in 2018 and in 2020 won the internationally prestigious Expanded Reason Award from the Ratzinger Foundation in the Vatican. He has written widely on the relationship between theory and practice in education, particularly the links between character, virtues, citizenship, religion, and education. James established the Jubilee Centre with Dr Jack Templeton, previously President of the John Templeton Foundation, and the Centre has grown in size, scope, and impact since its launch at the House of Lords in May 2012. James continues to chair the National Society for Educational Studies and has served on many government educational committees, as well as the Step Up to Serve Advisory Council chaired by HRH the Prince of Wales (2013-2020). In 2023 the Centre won the prestigious QS Global Award in Education from 1,200 entries. James advises a number of international charities, particularly the Kern Family Foundation of which he is a Senior Fellow and consultant. He serves as a professor within the Jubilee Centre.
Contact details
- Telephone: +44 (0)121 414 5596
- Email: j.arthur@bham.ac.uk
- Location: Room 1249, 12th Floor (West) Muirhead Tower, University of Birmingham
Qualifications
- D.Phil (Oxon)
- MSc
Publications
Academic Journal Articles
- Arthur, J. (2020) ‘Character formation in an age of uncertainty’, Standpoint [Online].
- Arthur, J., Kristjánsson, K., & Vogler, C. (2020) ‘SEEKING THE COMMON GOOD IN EDUCATION THROUGH A POSITIVE CONCEPTION OF SOCIAL JUSTICE’, British Journal of Educational Studies, [Online].
- Arthur, J., Earl, S., Thompson, A. & Ward, J. (2019) ‘The Value of Character-Based Judgement in the Professional Domain’, Journal of Business Ethics [Online].
- Arthur, J. (2018) ‘Christianity and the character education movement 1897-1914’, History of Education, Vol. 48, Issue 1, pp. 60-76.
- Arthur, J. (2016) ‘Convergence on Policy Goals: Character Education in East Asia and England‘, Journal of International Comparative Education, vol. 5, no. 2, [Online].
- Arthur, J. (2016) ‘The First Modern University: The University of Birmingham’, British Journal of Educational Studies, [Online].
- Arthur, J. (2016) The Idea of the ‘Civic University’, British Journal of Educational Studies.
- Arthur, J., Harrison, T. and Davison, I. (2015) Levels of virtue literacy in Catholic, Church of England and non-faith schools in England: a research report, International Studies in Catholic Education, Vol. 7, No. 2, p. 178-200. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19422539.2015.1072957
- Arthur, J. (2015) Extremism and neo-liberal education policy: a contextual critique of the Trojan Horse affair in Birmingham schools, British Journal of Educational Studies, Vol. 63, No. 3, p. 311-328. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00071005.2015.1069258
- Arthur, J. (2013) The de-Catholicising of the curriculum in English Catholic schools. International Studies in Catholic Education, 5, 83-98.
- Arthur, J., Powell, S. & Lin, H. (2012) ‘Foundations of Character: methodological aspects of a study of character development in three- to six-year-old children with a focus on sharing behaviours’, European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, vol. 22, no. 1, pp. 105-122.
- Arthur, J. (2011) Personal Character and Tomorrow’s Citizens: Student Expectations of their Teachers, International Journal of Educational Research Vol. 50 No. 3, 184-189 DOI:10.1016/j.ijer.2011.07.001
- Arthur, J. (2011) Inter-Cultural versus Inter-Religious Dialogue in a Pluralist Europe, Policy Futures in Education. Vol 9, No1, 74-80 DOI: 10.2304/pfie.2011.9.1.74
- Authored Books
- Arthur, J. (2021) A Christian Education in the Virtues: Character Formation and Human Flourishing, Abingdon: Routledge.
- Arthur, J., Cleverdon, J., Morgan, N., O’Shaughnessy, J. & Seldon, A. (2020) Educating for a Characterful Society: Responsibility and the Public Good, Abingdon: Routledge.
- Arthur, J. (2019) The Formation of Character in Education: From Aristotle to the 21st Century, Abingdon: Routledge.
- Arthur, J. (Ed.) (2018) Virtues in the Public Sphere, Abingdon: Routledge.
- Arthur, J. (2017) Policy Entrepreneurship in Education: engagement, influence and impact, Abingdon: Routledge.
- Carr, D., Arthur, J. and Kristjánsson, K. (Eds.) (2017) Varieties of Virtue Ethics, London: Palgrave Macmillan UK.
- Arthur, J., Kristjánsson, K., Harrison, T., Sanderse, W. and Wright, D. (2016) Teaching Character and Virtue in Schools, Routledge, Abingdon.
- Arthur, J., Peterson, A., Hattam, R., & Zembylas, M. (2016) The Palgrave International Handbook of Education for Citizenship and Social Justice, London: Palgrave Macmillan.
- Arthur, J. & Cremin, T. (Eds.) (2014) Learning to Teach in the Primary School: 3rd Edition, London: Routledge.
- Arthur, J., Davison, J. & Pring, R. (Eds.) (2012) Education Matters, London: Routledge.
- Arthur, J., & Lovat, T., (eds.) (2012) International Handbook of Religion and Values, Routledge, London.
- Arthur, J., Waring, M., and Coe, R., (eds.) (2012) (eds.) Research Methods in Educational Research, Sage, London
- Arthur, J. and Peterson, A., (2011) (eds.) The Routledge Companion to Education, Routledge, London.
- Arthur J., and Cremin, H., (2011) (eds.) Debates in Citizenship Education, Routledge,London.
- Chapters in Books
- Arthur, J. (2017) ‘Secular Education and Religion’, in Zuckerman, P. & Shook, J. (Eds.) The Oxford Handbook of Secularism, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Arthur, J. (2012) ‘Intercultural versus Interreligious Dialogue in a Pluralist Europe’, in Besley, T. & Peters, M. A. (Eds.)
- Arthur, J. (2011) Is it appropriate to teach students about morality and values? (pp 100-107) in Lexmond, J and Grist, M (2011) The Character Inquiry, London, DEMOS.
Academic Journal Articles
Arthur, J. (2020) ‘Character formation in an age of uncertainty’, Standpoint [Online].
Arthur, J., Kristjánsson, K., & Vogler, C. (2020) ‘SEEKING THE COMMON GOOD IN EDUCATION THROUGH A POSITIVE CONCEPTION OF SOCIAL JUSTICE’, British Journal of Educational Studies, [Online].
Arthur, J., Earl, S., Thompson, A. & Ward, J. (2019) ‘The Value of Character-Based Judgement in the Professional Domain’, Journal of Business Ethics [Online].
Arthur, J. (2018) ‘Christianity and the character education movement 1897-1914’, History of Education, Vol. 48, Issue 1, pp. 60-76.
Arthur, J. (2016) ‘Convergence on Policy Goals: Character Education in East Asia and England‘, Journal of International Comparative Education, vol. 5, no. 2, [Online].
Arthur, J. (2016) ‘The First Modern University: The University of Birmingham’, British Journal of Educational Studies, [Online].
Arthur, J. (2016) The Idea of the ‘Civic University’, British Journal of Educational Studies.
Arthur, J., Harrison, T. and Davison, I. (2015) Levels of virtue literacy in Catholic, Church of England and non-faith schools in England: a research report, International Studies in Catholic Education, Vol. 7, No. 2, p. 178-200. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19422539.2015.1072957
Arthur, J. (2015) Extremism and neo-liberal education policy: a contextual critique of the Trojan Horse affair in Birmingham schools, British Journal of Educational Studies, Vol. 63, No. 3, p. 311-328. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00071005.2015.1069258
Arthur, J. (2013) The de-Catholicising of the curriculum in English Catholic schools. International Studies in Catholic Education, 5, 83-98.
Arthur, J., Powell, S. & Lin, H. (2012) ‘Foundations of Character: methodological aspects of a study of character development in three- to six-year-old children with a focus on sharing behaviours’, European Early Childhood Education Research Journal, vol. 22, no. 1, pp. 105-122.
Arthur, J. (2011) Personal Character and Tomorrow’s Citizens: Student Expectations of their Teachers, International Journal of Educational Research Vol. 50 No. 3, 184-189 DOI:10.1016/j.ijer.2011.07.001
Arthur, J. (2011) Inter-Cultural versus Inter-Religious Dialogue in a Pluralist Europe, Policy Futures in Education. Vol 9, No1, 74-80 DOI: 10.2304/pfie.2011.9.1.74
Authored Books
Arthur, J. (2021) A Christian Education in the Virtues: Character Formation and Human Flourishing, Abingdon: Routledge.
Arthur, J., Cleverdon, J., Morgan, N., O’Shaughnessy, J. & Seldon, A. (2020) Educating for a Characterful Society: Responsibility and the Public Good, Abingdon: Routledge.
Arthur, J. (2019) The Formation of Character in Education: From Aristotle to the 21st Century, Abingdon: Routledge.
Arthur, J. (Ed.) (2018) Virtues in the Public Sphere, Abingdon: Routledge.
Arthur, J. (2017) Policy Entrepreneurship in Education: engagement, influence and impact, Abingdon: Routledge.
Carr, D., Arthur, J. and Kristjánsson, K. (Eds.) (2017) Varieties of Virtue Ethics, London: Palgrave Macmillan UK.
Arthur, J., Kristjánsson, K., Harrison, T., Sanderse, W. and Wright, D. (2016) Teaching Character and Virtue in Schools, Routledge, Abingdon.
Arthur, J., Peterson, A., Hattam, R., & Zembylas, M. (2016) The Palgrave International Handbook of Education for Citizenship and Social Justice, London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Arthur, J. & Cremin, T. (Eds.) (2014) Learning to Teach in the Primary School: 3rd Edition, London: Routledge.
Arthur, J., Davison, J. & Pring, R. (Eds.) (2012) Education Matters, London: Routledge.
Arthur, J., & Lovat, T., (eds.) (2012) International Handbook of Religion and Values, Routledge, London.
Arthur, J., Waring, M., and Coe, R., (eds.) (2012) (eds.) Research Methods in Educational Research, Sage, London
Arthur, J. and Peterson, A., (2011) (eds.) The Routledge Companion to Education, Routledge, London.
Arthur J., and Cremin, H., (2011) (eds.) Debates in Citizenship Education, Routledge,London.
Chapters in Books
Arthur, J. (2017) ‘Secular Education and Religion’, in Zuckerman, P. & Shook, J. (Eds.) The Oxford Handbook of Secularism, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Arthur, J. (2012) ‘Intercultural versus Interreligious Dialogue in a Pluralist Europe’, in Besley, T. & Peters, M. A. (Eds.)
Arthur, J. (2011) Is it appropriate to teach students about morality and values? (pp 100-107) in Lexmond, J and Grist, M (2011) The Character Inquiry, London, DEMOS.
Research
His major research activities involve the aspirations and character formation of young people in deprived areas. Recent projects include My Character and Knightly Virtues, in addition to the projects being undertaken in the Jubilee Centre. He is Director of CitizED – an organisation (funded by the TDA) in higher education promoting citizenship and is Director of a major research project on young people’s values and character dispositions (see Learning for Life and Citized). He was a member of the National Forum for Values in Education and the Community. He has participated in various consultations with QCA about values education, and was a member of the History Task Group of the National Curriculum Council to revise the National Curriculum, and has since been a member of a sub-group of the Citizenship Working Party as well as a member of groups on citizenship and personal and social education in the DCSF and in the Teacher Development Agency.