Hello, I am Peter Samuelson - author, pastor, teacher, carpenter - the proverbial jack-of-all-trades and master of some.
Welcome to my webpage! My interests lie in that space where theory meets practice, theology meets application, and psychology impacts lives. I have authored two books, along with a number of curricula and academic articles. My research interests focus on how to help youth thrive through relationships with caring adults, helping youth discover their identity and purpose, how character virtues aid in positive youth development, and the importance of developing a moral imagination. As an adjunct instructor in various colleges and universities, I have taught biblical theology, denominational history, lifespan development, personality and social psychology, and reconciliation studies. I have served parishes in NE Iowa, Atlanta, and Minneapolis as a pastor. Most importantly, I am the husband of Deb, father of Miriam and Isaac, and grandfather of Esther and Elijah.
Welcome to my website.
Positive Youth Development Principles in Practice, 2024
This open-access book tells the story of eight youth service organizations in the USA, using the voices of the impacted youth and the staff who accompanied them. Drawing on a series of structured interviews with young people and staff and informed by positive youth development (PYD), ideas the author proposes nine universal principles for working with youth from under-resourced neighborhoods that can be applied to any youth organization. The principles include orienting youth towards a purposeful future, providing an opportunity to build academic and critical thinking abilities, and developing an individual's identity and sense of agency. The book contributes to the emerging methodology of principles-focused evaluation and draws on a range of disciplines including psychology, education, and youth studies.
Intellectual Humility, 2017
Why care about intellectual humility? What is an intellectual virtue? How do we know who is intellectually humble? The nature of intellectual virtues is a topic of ancient interest. But contemporary philosophy has experienced unparalleled energy and concern for one particular virtue over the past 30 years: intellectual humility. Intellectual Humility: An Introduction to Philosophy and Science draws on leading research to provide an engaging and up-to-date guide to understanding what it is and why it's important.
By using ten big questions to introduce the concept, this introduction presents a vibrant account of the ideas behind intellectual humility. Covering themes from philosophy, psychology, education, social science, and divinity.
