John Wills

Professor John Wills is a leading scholar in American popular culture, game studies, and Disney studies at the University of Kent. He holds a BA from Warwick University, an MA and PhD from Bristol University, and has taught at the University of Essex before joining Kent in 2005. His research explores environmental, cultural, and digital topics, including nuclear films, Disney’s cultural impact, video game history, and the cultural history of Hollywood and the American West.

• Affiliations:
  • Co-editor, European Journal of American Culture
  • Editorial board member, International Journal of Disney Studies
  • Member, British Association of American Studies and Executive Committee of Greener BAAS Network
• Research: Focuses on video game culture, Disney’s historical legacy, environmental activism, and the intersection of technology with American cultural narratives.
• Awards: Includes Historical Society of Southern California Award, British Academy Fellowships, and Leverhulme Research Fellowship.
• Teaching: Leads modules on video games and the history of play, supervising postgraduate research in Game Studies, Eco-Media, and US environmental and popular culture.
• Labs/Teams: Engaged with the Historical Game Studies Network, Video Game Heritage Society, and Institute of Cyber Security for Society at Kent.