Jeffrey Nielsen
Encyclopedia
Jeffrey Nielsen is founder of the Democracy House Project
, and a published author. He is also a philosophy
instructor at Westminster College
, Salt Lake City; and Utah Valley University, Orem, Utah. But he is perhaps best known for being both a supporter of gay marriage and a practicing Mormon
.
. After submitting an editorial to the Salt Lake Tribune that challenged the opposition of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, BYU's sponsoring institution, to same-sex marriage
, he received a letter from the head of the Department of Philosophy stating that once term classes ended, his contract would not be renewed. In the editorial, Nielsen criticized the Church's support for a constitutional amendment that opposes gay marriage.
The news came in a letter from Daniel Graham, chair of the philosophy department at BYU. BYU instructors and employees contract themselves to not criticize the church as a condition of their employment. Nielsen was subsequently released from his duties in his local church congregation as well.
After his dismissal from BYU, Professor Nielsen obtained positions teaching Philosophy at Westminster College
, Salt Lake City, Utah; and Utah Valley University, Orem, Utah.
Professor Jeffrey Nielsen was educated at Weber State University and Boston College. At Boston College, he was a Teaching Fellow where he taught courses in logic and critical thinking, the history and philosophy of art and science as well as in ethics and epistemology. He has also taught in the philosophy department at Brigham Young University, where he taught courses in the ethics of leadership, reasoning and writing, as well as in the history and development of science. His teaching focuses on issues in ethics, moral decision-making, and democracy.
Nielsen is the author of the book The Myth of Leadership: Creating Leaderless Organizations
. His most recent initiative has been to found the nonprofit Democracy House Project
. The Democracy House Project is an educational initiative using his peer-based model to teach political literacy.
Democracy House Project
Democracy House Project is a non-profit organization founded by Professor Jeffrey Nielsen of Westminster College, Salt Lake City and Utah Valley University, Orem, Utah....
, and a published author. He is also a philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
instructor at Westminster College
Westminster College, Salt Lake City
Westminster College is a private liberal arts college located in the Sugar House neighborhood of Salt Lake City, Utah. The college comprises four schools: the School of Arts and Sciences, the Bill and Vieve Gore School of Business, the School of Education, and the School of Nursing and Health...
, Salt Lake City; and Utah Valley University, Orem, Utah. But he is perhaps best known for being both a supporter of gay marriage and a practicing Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
.
Life
In 2006 he was a visiting lecturer of philosophy at Brigham Young UniversityBrigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
. After submitting an editorial to the Salt Lake Tribune that challenged the opposition of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, BYU's sponsoring institution, to same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
, he received a letter from the head of the Department of Philosophy stating that once term classes ended, his contract would not be renewed. In the editorial, Nielsen criticized the Church's support for a constitutional amendment that opposes gay marriage.
The news came in a letter from Daniel Graham, chair of the philosophy department at BYU. BYU instructors and employees contract themselves to not criticize the church as a condition of their employment. Nielsen was subsequently released from his duties in his local church congregation as well.
After his dismissal from BYU, Professor Nielsen obtained positions teaching Philosophy at Westminster College
Westminster College, Salt Lake City
Westminster College is a private liberal arts college located in the Sugar House neighborhood of Salt Lake City, Utah. The college comprises four schools: the School of Arts and Sciences, the Bill and Vieve Gore School of Business, the School of Education, and the School of Nursing and Health...
, Salt Lake City, Utah; and Utah Valley University, Orem, Utah.
Professor Jeffrey Nielsen was educated at Weber State University and Boston College. At Boston College, he was a Teaching Fellow where he taught courses in logic and critical thinking, the history and philosophy of art and science as well as in ethics and epistemology. He has also taught in the philosophy department at Brigham Young University, where he taught courses in the ethics of leadership, reasoning and writing, as well as in the history and development of science. His teaching focuses on issues in ethics, moral decision-making, and democracy.
Nielsen is the author of the book The Myth of Leadership: Creating Leaderless Organizations
The Myth of Leadership
The Myth of Leadership is a business book written by former Brigham Young University lecturer Jeffrey Nielsen, who is a teacher of philosophy at Westminster College, Salt Lake City, Utah and Utah Valley University, Orem, Utah.- Basis :...
. His most recent initiative has been to found the nonprofit Democracy House Project
Democracy House Project
Democracy House Project is a non-profit organization founded by Professor Jeffrey Nielsen of Westminster College, Salt Lake City and Utah Valley University, Orem, Utah....
. The Democracy House Project is an educational initiative using his peer-based model to teach political literacy.
External links
- The piece that caused Nielsen to be fired
- Statement on Academic Freedom at BYU
- Jeffrey Nielsen's Response to BYU Firing