Jordan Shapiro

{{Infobox writer

| name = Jordan Shapiro

| image = Jordan Shapiro at the 2022 Air Force Global Strike Command Women’s Leadership Symposium.jpg

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| caption = Shapiro in 2022

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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1977|11|15}}

| birth_place = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.

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| occupation = Professor, author

| alma_mater = Bard College (BA), Pacifica Graduate Institute (MA) (PhD)

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| spouse = Amanda Steinberg

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| website = {{URL|http://www.jordanshapiro.org/}}

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Jordan Shapiro (born November 15, 1977) is an American author known for his work on parenting, education, gender, and technology.{{cite web |last1=Joyce |first1=Amy |title=How to be a feminist dad |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2021/06/18/how-be-feminist-dad/ |website=Washington Post: On Parenting |access-date=18 December 2022}}{{cite news |last1=Strauss |first1=Elissa |title=The Argument for Playing Video Games with Your Kids |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/18/health/video-games-parenting-strauss/index.html |access-date=21 February 2019 |agency=CNN |publisher=CNN |date=February 18, 2019}}{{cite news |last1=Scheafer Riley |first1=Naomi |title=Screening Out The Urge to Worry |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-new-childhood-review-screening-out-the-urge-toworry-11546806572 |access-date=20 January 2019 |agency=Wall Street Journal |publisher=Wall Street Journal |date=January 7, 2019}}{{cite news |last1=Quick |first1=Rebecca |title=On The Money |url=https://www.cnbc.com/video/2019/02/01/screen-time.html |access-date=2 February 2019 |agency=CNBC News |issue=S07 E20 |publisher=CNBC |date=February 2, 2019}}{{cite book |last1=Toppo |first1=Greg |title=The Game Believes in You: How Digital Play Can Make Our Kids Smarter |date=2015 |publisher=St. Martin's Press |location=New York |isbn=978-1137279576 |pages=92–93}}{{cite book |last1=Kamenetz |first1=Anya |title=The Art of Screen Time: How Your Family Can Balance Digital Media and Real Life |date=2018 |publisher=Public Affairs |location=New York |isbn=978-1610396721 |page=65}}

Early life and education

Shapiro grew up in Philadelphia. He earned a B.A. from Bard College, an M.A. and a Ph.D. in depth psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute.{{cite web|title=Jordan Shapiro Nonresident Fellow - Global Economy and Development, Center for Universal Education|url=https://www.brookings.edu/experts/jordan-shapiro/|website=brookings.edu|access-date=21 December 2022}}{{cite web |last1=Kamentez |first1=Anya |title=Forget Screen Time Rules — Lean In To Parenting Your Wired Child, Author Says |url=https://www.npr.org/2019/01/15/679304393/forget-screen-time-rules-lean-in-to-parenting-your-wired-child |website=NPR.org |publisher=NPR |access-date=19 January 2019}} He studied phenomenology with Edward S. Casey, Rabbinic Judaism with Jacob Neusner, film & cinema with Adolfas Mekas.{{cite web |last1=Shapiro |first1=Jordan |title=Website Bio |url=https://www.jordanshapiro.org/bio |website=JordanShapiro.org |access-date=20 January 2019}}

Career

Shapiro teaches philosophy at Temple University{{Cite web|url=https://www.inquirer.com/philly/education/20130220_At_Temple__Twitter_s_different_roles_in_class.html|title=At Temple, Twitter's different roles in class|publisher=The Philadelphia Inquirer|first=By Susan Snyder, Inquirer Staff|last=Writer|website=inquirer.com|date=20 February 2013 }} in the College of Liberal Arts.{{cite news |last1=Griffiths |first1=Sian |title=Don't unplug the iPad, Dad, it'll hurt my career |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/society/article/don-t-unplug-the-ipad-dad-it-ll-hurt-my-career-z029rw5fn |access-date=9 February 2019 |agency=The Sunday Times|issue=December 16, 2018 |publisher=The Times (UK) |date=December 16, 2018}} He is senior fellow at The Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop,{{cite web |last1=Kamenetz |first1=Anya |title=Forget Screen Time Rules — Lean In To Parenting Your Wired Child, Author Says |url=https://www.npr.org/2019/01/15/679304393/forget-screen-time-rules-lean-in-to-parenting-your-wired-child |website=NPR.org |access-date=19 January 2019}} and a non-resident fellow at the Brookings Institution Center for Universal Education.

He became an expert in childhood development and digital play following his divorce, after playing video games with his two sons.{{cite web |last1=Riley |first1=Naomi |title=Screening Out The Urge To Worry |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-new-childhood-review-screening-out-the-urge-toworry-11546806572 |website=wsj.com |date=6 January 2019 |publisher=Wall Street journal |access-date=19 January 2019}}

In 2021, he became core faculty in Temple University's Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies program after researching and writing a book about being a feminist dad.{{cite web |title=Faculty and Staff |url=https://liberalarts.temple.edu/academics/departments-and-programs/gender-sexuality-and-womens-studies/faculty-and-staff |website=Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies |date=27 January 2021 |publisher=Temple University}}{{cite web |last1=Manley |first1=Janet |title=A Great Man Is Hard to Find: On the Literature of Contemporary Fatherhood |url=https://lithub.com/a-great-man-is-hard-to-find-on-the-literature-of-contemporary-fatherhood/ |website=LitHub |date=18 July 2022 |access-date=18 December 2022}}

Philosophy

Shapiro's perspective combines psychology, philosophy, and economics.{{cite web |url=https://liberalarts.temple.edu/academics/faculty/shapiro-jordan |website=Temple University |title=Temple University |access-date=19 January 2019}}

He argues against strict screen time limits for kids,{{cite news |last1=Beard |first1=Alex |title=Screen-time for children: should parents stop worrying and embrace tech? |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/what-to-read/screen-time-children-should-parents-stop-worrying-embrace-tech/amp/?WT.mc_id=tmg_share_tw&__twitter_impression=true |access-date=9 February 2019 |agency=The Telegraph |issue=Book Review |publisher=The Telegraph |date=21 January 2019}}{{cite web |last1=Anderson |first1=Jenny |title=A philosophy professor argues kids should use more technology, not less |url=https://qz.com/1516875/a-philosophers-case-for-letting-kids-play-video-games-and-embrace-social-media/ |website=Quartz |date=10 January 2019 |publisher=Quartz.com |access-date=20 January 2019}}{{cite web |last1=Mayer |first1=Zlati |title='The New Childhood' makes case that video games, social media are good for kids |url=https://eu.usatoday.com/story/life/books/2018/12/31/new-childhood-makes-case-video-games-social-media-good-kids-book-review/2417919002/ |website=USA Today |access-date=19 January 2019}} suggesting instead that parents should teach their kids how to use digital devices with integrity.{{cite web |last1=Naftulin |first1=Julia |title=A researcher says kids should actually start using screens sooner in life, despite what you've been told |url=https://www.thisisinsider.com/screen-time-effects-on-kids-benefits-2019-1 |website=Insider |publisher=Insider Media, Inc |access-date=26 January 2019}} He advises parents not to panic about new technologies{{cite news |last1=Elliot |first1=Debbie |title=Author Of 'The New Childhood' Advises Parents: Don't Panic About Screen Time |url=https://www.npr.org/2018/12/29/680882610/author-of-the-new-childhood-advises-parents-dont-panic-about-screen-time |access-date=19 January 2019 |agency=NPR Weekend Edition |publisher=NPR |date=December 29, 2018}} and encourages students to use social media in his Intellectual Heritage class.{{Cite web|url=https://globalteacherprize.org/news/the-judging-academy-gtp/556/556-Jordan-Shapiro|title=Jordan Shapiro|date=November 28, 2022|website=The Varkey Foundation}} He advocates for joint media engagement.{{cite news |last1=Beard |first1=Alex |title=Screen-time for children: should parents stop worrying and embrace tech? |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/what-to-read/screen-time-children-should-parents-stop-worrying-embrace-tech/amp/?WT.mc_id=tmg_share_tw&__twitter_impression=true |access-date=5 February 2019 |agency=The Telegraph |issue=Book Review |publisher=The Telegraph |date=21 January 2019}}{{cite web |last1=Anderson |first1=Jenny |title=A philosophy professor argues kids should use more technology, not less |url=https://qz.com/1516875/a-philosophers-case-for-letting-kids-play-video-games-and-embrace-social-media/ |website=Quartz.com |date=10 January 2019 |publisher=Quartz}} His view that kids can only learn good proper ethics for a connected world by spending more time with digital technology{{cite news |last1=Carlyle |first1=Rachel |title=Is it time to start some family phone rules? |url=https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/parenting/article/is-it-time-to-start-some-family-phone-rules-3lzk03xp5 |access-date=21 February 2019 |issue=15 February 2019 |publisher=The Times of London}}{{cite news |last1=Kamenetz |first1=Anya |title=Forget Screen Time Rules — Lean In To Parenting Your Wired Child, Author Says |url=https://www.npr.org/2019/01/15/679304393/forget-screen-time-rules-lean-in-to-parenting-your-wired-child |access-date=19 January 2019 |agency=NPR.org |publisher=NPR |date=January 15, 2019}} has been controversial, causing Wall Street Journal journalist Naomi Schaefer Riley to complain, "the idea that parents might forbid or severely limit their children's devices—or take the devices away altogether—is anathema to him".{{cite news |last1=Riley |first1=Naomi Schaefer |title=Screening Out The Urge to Worry |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-new-childhood-review-screening-out-the-urge-toworry-11546806572 |access-date=19 January 2019 |publisher=Wall Street Journal |date=January 7, 2019}} He hosts a podcast about digital wellbeing that is produced by Sesame Workshop and Roblox.{{cite web |title=Into The Digital Future |url=https://joanganzcooneycenter.org/2021/12/02/join-us-as-we-head-into-the-digital-future-a-new-podcast-from-the-cooney-center/ |website=Sesame Workshop |date=2 December 2021 |publisher=Sesame Workshop: Joan Ganz Cooney Center |access-date=18 December 2022}}

Shapiro's work on feminism and fatherhood has been well received.{{cite web |title=Father Figure: How to Be a Feminist Dad |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780316459969 |website=Publishers Weekly |access-date=18 December 2022}} The New York Times Book Review called it "utterly mind-blowing".{{cite news |last1=Brody |first1=Lauren Smith |title=The Pressures and Privileges of Being a Parent in 2021 |work=The New York Times |date=3 August 2021 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/03/books/review/the-family-firm-emily-oster.html |access-date=18 December 2022}} In 2022, United States Air Force four-star general Anthony J. Cotton celebrated Shapiro's views on masculinity and feminism, inviting him to be the keynote speaker at the Air Force Global Strike Command's Women's Leadership Symposium.{{cite web |title=2022 Women's Leadership Symposium promotes authenticity |url=https://www.afgsc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3001095/2022-womens-leadership-symposium-promotes-authenticity/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220415230417/https://www.afgsc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3001095/2022-womens-leadership-symposium-promotes-authenticity/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 15, 2022 |website=Air Force Global Strike Command |date=15 April 2022 |publisher=United States Air Force |access-date=18 December 2022}}

Books

Father Figure: How to be a Feminist Dad {{ISBN|9780316459969}} was published by Little, Brown Spark, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company in April 2021.{{Cite book|url=https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/jordan-shapiro/father-figure/9780316459969/|title=Father Figure|date=September 8, 2020|isbn=978-0-316-45996-9 |via=www.hachettebookgroup.com |last1=Shapiro |first1=Jordan |publisher=Little Brown }}

The New Childhood: Raising Kids to Thrive in a Connected World {{ISBN|0-316-43724-7}} was published by Little, Brown Spark, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company in December 2018.{{Cite book|url=https://www.littlebrownspark.com/titles/jordan-shapiro/the-new-childhood/9780316437257/|title=The New Childhood|date=May 8, 2018|isbn=978-0-316-43725-7 |via=www.littlebrownspark.com |last1=Shapiro |first1=Jordan |publisher=Little, Brown }}

Other writings

Shapiro wrote a column for Forbes called "Geek Philosophy" from 2012 to 2017.{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/jordanshapiro/#2cbd089c2b1c |title=Jordan Shapiro - Geek Philosophy |work=Forbes |date=2017-01-13 |access-date=2019-01-19}}

He wrote "The Mindshift Guide to Games and Learning" for the online site of NPR member station KQED-FM.{{cite web |last1=KQED |first1=Mindshift |title=The MindShift Guide to Digital Games and Learning |url=https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/series/guide-to-games-and-learning |website=NPR/KQED |date=12 September 2014 |publisher=NPR/KQED-FM}} And the Asia Society Center for Global Education guide "Digital Play for Global Citizens".{{cite web |last1=Asia Society |first1=Center for Global Education |title=Digital Play for Global Citizens |url=https://asiasociety.org/education/digital-play-global-citizens |website=Asia Society |publisher=Asiasociety.org |access-date=19 January 2019}}

In 2017, he coauthored a notable essay on education for global citizenship with former Prime Minister of Greece George Papandreou.{{cite web |last1=Papandreou |first1=George |last2=Shapiro |first2=Jordan |title=An ancient education for modern democracy and global citizenship |url=https://www.brookings.edu/opinions/an-ancient-education-for-modern-democracy-and-global-citizenship/ |website=Brookings Institution |publisher=Brookings Press |access-date=20 January 2019}}