Erin Murphy-Graham

Erin Murphy-Graham works in the field of comparative and international education. Her research focuses on three inter-related areas: 1) the process by which education can foster the empowerment of girls and women, and the theorization of what empowerment entails; 2) the role of education in changing how students relate to others, particularly in their intimate relationships and in building trust; 3) the rigorous evaluation of educational programs that have demonstrated potential to empower youth and adults in Latin America. She is currently engaged in a design-based research-practice partnership with Bayan Association in Honduras focused on the prevention of child marriage and adolescent pregnancy, Holistic Education for Youth.

Dr. Murphy-Graham is the author of Opening Minds, Improving Lives: Education and Women's Empowerment in Honduras (Vanderbilt University Press, Spring 2012) and co-editor of the volume Life Skills Education for Youth: Critical Perspectives. Her articles have appeared in journals including Comparative Education Review, International Journal of Educational Development, Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, International Review of Education, Gender and Education, and the American Journal of Evaluation

Prior to joining the faculty at Berkeley, Dr. Murphy-Graham was an Assistant Professor of International Education at New York University's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development. She has worked as a consultant to government agencies and NGOs in Honduras, Colombia, Nicaragua, Uganda, and the Caribbean. At Berkeley, she teaches courses on education and globalization and qualitative research methods. More information about her research and teaching can be found here.