About
Tom Cohen is a Professor in the Department of English at the University at Albany, holding a PhD from Yale University. His academic work spans literary theory, critical theory, cinema studies, digital media, American studies, and contemporary climate change scholarship.
Education:
- PhD, Yale University
His research traverses literary and cultural politics with deep engagements in critical theory, cinema studies, and digital media. He has extensively analyzed American authors (Poe, Whitman, Melville, Faulkner, Morrison) and Greek/continental philosophy. Current work centers on how climate change resets 20th-century theoretical frameworks, leading to foundational contributions in critical climate change studies.
Publications from 1994-2012 reveal an intellectual trajectory from literary/film theory to climate-oriented critical theory. Early works on Hitchcock and cultural studies evolved into climate-focused scholarship, culminating in the founding of the Institute on Critical Climate Change (IC3) and the 'Critical Climate Change' book series.
Scientific Awards:
- Distinguished Visiting Professorship by Shanghai Municipality (2013-15)
Professor Cohen maintains active international collaborations including Fulbright work in Thailand and Shanghai assignments. He directs IC3, which has organized five international symposia and produced significant publications. Current projects include book-length studies on Faulkner, Brazilian cinema ('Bus 174'), travel theory, and oil's cultural impact. He co-edits the 'Critical Climate Change' series with Open Humanities Press and is developing the Global Center for Critical Climate Change (GC4).
