Ben Davies

Dr Ben Davies is an Associate Professor of Literature and Culture at the University of Portsmouth and a Research Fellow at the Institute of English Studies (IES). His research intersects sociology, narrative studies, and literary theory, with a focus on the novel, time use, and reading practices.

In 2020, he co-led the Carlsberg Foundation-funded Lockdown Reading Project, culminating in the monograph Reading Novels During the Covid-19 Pandemic (OUP, 2022), which won the British Association for Contemporary Literary Studies Monograph Prize. In 2022, he received funding from the Council for the Defence of British Universities for a pilot project on reading patterns in humanities. At IES, he continues exploring the role of reading across disciplines.

He serves as Secretary of University English, advocating for interdisciplinary collaboration and academic freedom in humanities research.

• Scientific Awards:
  • British Association for Contemporary Literary Studies Monograph Prize