Ben Pitcher

Ben Pitcher is a Professor in Sociology and Director of the Centre for Social Justice Research at the University of Westminster. He holds a BA (First Class) in Literature from Goldsmiths, an MA (Distinction) in Cultural Studies from Lancaster University, and a PhD from the University of East London. Previously, he was a Lecturer in Political Sociology at Oxford Brookes University. His research focuses on the cultural politics of race, prehistory in contemporary culture, and antiracism. He has authored three books: *Back to the Stone Age: Race and Prehistory in Popular Culture* (2022), *Consuming Race* (2014), and *The Politics of Multiculturalism* (2009). His work explores how race intersects with prehistoric narratives, consumer culture, and political discourses.

Teaching interests include race, cultural studies, and social theory. He has received multiple awards for teaching excellence, including a University Teaching Fellowship and a Westminster Teaching Excellence Team Award. His research has been featured on BBC Radio 4, ABC Radio National, and other international media.

Key research areas include the racialization of prehistoric narratives, antiracist populism, and the intersection of race and neoliberal capitalism. Recent publications analyze themes like extinction narratives, Brexit’s racial politics, and iconoclasm. His work emphasizes racial justice through critical engagement with cultural and historical discourses.

Supervised PhD students include Dr Melissa Forstrom Al Kadhi (Islamic Art Exhibitions) and Dr Nikhaela Wicks (Race in Nighttime Economy). Current students are researching topics like landscape belonging and anti-racist praxis. He directs the Centre for Social Justice Research, fostering interdisciplinary work on justice, inequality, and cultural critique.