Continuing the conversation: “Life is Good”—David Berliner's legacy

Abstract

Throughout his journey from applied researcher to world-renowned scholar, David Berliner was committed to education research that matters—not just within academic circles, but within classrooms and communities. As a public intellectual and a fierce advocate for public education, David expertly and courageously engaged in education debates, bridged research with practice, debunked myths and exposed misinformation, and in the process, reshaped how we understand education. This special issue of EPAA/AAPE celebrates David Berliner's legacy as a scholar, and more importantly, as someone who was deeply respected and cherished. What follows are personal essays by family members, friends, and colleagues that engage with David's ideas and inspire us to continue the conversations that David valued and fought for.

A complete list of his EPAA/AAPE articles may be found at: David C. Berliner Collection | Education Policy Analysis Archives

David Berliner's article, Educational Reform in an Era of Disinformation (1993) was the second article published in EPAA/AAPE. It launched David’s career as a scholar of educational policyand formed the basis of his award-winning book with Bruce Biddle, The Manufactured Crisis.