Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Ben is an experienced practitioner in participatory methods, with research and teaching expertise in social action and digital media. He is currently Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor Civic (shared with Dr Johanna Forster) where he co-leads UEA's efforts to be better connected to the region - from grassroots engagement to working with local government. He designed UEA's 60th anniversary Civic Charter process and was one of the lead authors on the subsequent book. This is widely considered a pioneering approach nationally to Civic University Agreements.
Ben joined UEA in 2016 from Middlesex University where he taught media and cultural studies for ten years. Ben’s background is in conjunctural cultural studies in the British tradition and his current research is on participatory methods, social action and the politics of digital culture.
His two co-authored mongraphs are key touch points at the intersection of celebrity, politics and digital media, looking at the way in which celebrified figures are key cultural locations for the exploration of political complexity. In particular, the 2021 book The New Patriarchs of Digital Capitalism: Celebrity Tech Founders and Networks of Power (with Alison Winch) looked at the men who own and run big tech companies like Tesla, Facebook and Google. He has spoken widely on this topic and has been interviewed by the Washington Post and Sky News among other media outlets. His PhD (2010) on the influence of 1980s British comic books on the politics of American comics culture won the John A. Lent scholarship for outstanding research in the field of comic art.
He teaches across politics and media modules in the department of Politics and International Relations, most notably a practice module called Activist Campaigning, which has seen students work with Greenpeace, Generation Rent and People and Planet on live campaigns. He is part of the international leadership group for Teaching Social Action - training academics to deliver student-led campaigns as a form of pedagogy.
Ben was a co-editor of Soundings: A Journal of Politics and Culture which sits at the intersection of academia, activism and politics for thirteen years.
He believes firmly in collaboration as we shouldn't have to do difficult things on our own.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Education/Academic qualification
Doctor of Philosophy, Comic books, politics and readers: the influence of the 2000AD group of comics creators on the formation of Anglo-American comics culture., Middlesex University
Award Date: 15 Jul 2010
External positions
Leadership team, Teaching Social Action
Nov 2024 → …
Founding Chair, London College of Political Technology
Apr 2024 → …
External Examiner - MA Political Communication, Goldsmiths, University of London
Jun 2021 → …
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ARISE: Advancing Resilience and Innovation for a Sustainable Environment
Lorenzoni, I., Forster, J., Little, B. & Richardson, C.
Economic and Social Research Council
1/04/24 → 30/09/28
Project: Research
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Partnerships for East Coast Communities - PECC's
Daniels, K., Jowitt, C., Little, B. & Fitzhugh, H.
Economic and Social Research Council
18/04/23 → 17/09/23
Project: Research
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The New Patriarchs of Digital Capitalism: Celebrity Tech Founders and Networks of Power
Little, B. & Winch, A., 24 Jun 2021, Routledge. 254 p.Research output: Book/Report › Book
23 Citations (SciVal) -
Universities as regional infrastructure
Little, B., Forster, J. & Lettice, F., 11 Jul 2024, The Kerslake Collection: The future of universities and their places, five years on from the UPP Civic University Commission. UPP Foundation, p. 104-112 9 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter
Open Access -
Participatory Democratic Methods for a Civic University: Collective re-imagining of the University of East Anglia's civic role.
Little, B. & Forster, J., Mar 2025, (Accepted/In press).Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › peer-review
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Unlocking Norfolk's Potential: Regional Infrastructure, an Executive Sand Pit
Forster, J., Little, B. & Bentley, M., 6 Oct 2024, UEA Publishing Project. 77 p.Research output: Book/Report › Other report
Open AccessFile9 Downloads (Pure) -
‘A new social contract for our generation’: A conjunctural cultural studies approach to the Millennial
Little, B. & Winch, A., 29 Feb 2024, Studying Generations : Multidisciplinary Perspectives. Kingstone, H. & Bristow, J. (eds.). Bristol University PressResearch output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter
Prizes
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John A. Lent Scholarship for Outstanding Research in the Field of Comic Art
Little, Benjamin (Recipient), 2008
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Civicon24
Benjamin Little (Speaker)
17 Jun 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in conference
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Universities as Civic Actors
Benjamin Little (Speaker)
5 Jun 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participation in conference
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Civic UEA Seder
Johanna Forster (Presenter) & Benjamin Little (Presenter)
12 Apr 2023Activity: Other activity types › Other
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Catalysing Communities of Practice to promote Active Citizenship
Benjamin Little (Speaker)
24 Mar 2023Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Invited talk
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Civic University Network Showcase
Johanna Forster (Speaker), Fiona Lettice (Speaker), Julie Schofield (Speaker) & Benjamin Little (Speaker)
5 Dec 2022Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Invited talk
Press/Media
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Musk isn’t serious about fighting, Zuckerberg says. Here’s the latest.
13/08/23
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Media Coverage or Contribution
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Musk v Zuck: How The Tech Bro Billionaires Are Playing Us All
10/08/23
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Media Coverage or Contribution
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Zuckerberg v Musk: Will Threads 'kill' Twitter?
7/07/23
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Media Coverage or Contribution
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The UEA Passover Seder
Oren Margolis, Benjamin Little & Johanna Forster
18/04/23 → 29/06/23
4 Media contributions
Press/Media: Media Coverage or Contribution
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The University of East Anglia's Civic University Project
Benjamin Little & Johanna Forster
8/06/23
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Media Coverage or Contribution