Dr Ben Cocking

About

Ben joined the Centre in September 2015 as Senior Lecturer and Director of Research. His recent publications include: a chapter on British travel journalism in Travel Journalism: Exploring Production, Imapct and Culture (Palgrave) and articles in academic journalis such as, Journalism Studies in Travel Writing (Routledge), Journeys: International Journal of Travel Writing (Berghahn Press) and JOMEC Journal (Cardiff University Press).
Ben completed his undergraduate and Master’s degrees at the University of Kent, in the subject of Communications and Image Studies. He also completed his PhD at the University of Kent, focusing on British travel writing on the Middle East during the 1930s and 1940s. Prior to joining Kent, Ben worked at the University of Roehampton, where in his role as Principal Lecturer in Journalism and Media Culture, he was involved in developing and leading a Journalism undergraduate degree programme. Ben began his academic career in the role of Lecturer in Media Theory at the University of Gloucestershire. At the University of Kent, he leads the Centre for Journalism’s research strategy and is also responsible for the teaching of politics and political communications to students on the BA in Journalism and the News Industry and the MA in Multimedia Journalism. He is also involved in PhD supervision . Ben’s research interests include: travel journalism, news media and political communications, travel writing, cultural theory and postcolonial theory.