Michael Mark Cohen

Michael Mark Cohen is an Associate Teaching Professor at the University of California, Berkeley, with joint appointments in American Studies and African American Studies. He holds a BA from the University of Colorado and a PhD from Yale University (2004). His research and teaching focus on U.S. cultural and political history since the Civil War, emphasizing racial capitalism, labor movements, Marxist theory, and radical social movements.

Education:

• BA in History, University of Colorado
• PhD in American Studies, Yale University (2004)

Research Interests: Cohen explores intersections of race, class, and power through analyses of radical movements, popular culture, and conspiracy theories. His work includes digital projects like Cartooning Capitalism, an archive of early 20th-century socialist cartoons. Recent publications include The Conspiracy of Capital (2019) and peer-reviewed articles in American Quarterly and Radical History Review.

Teaching & Awards: Cohen won the American Cultures Innovation in Teaching Prize (2011). He teaches courses on racial capitalism, film, and contemporary U.S. politics. Recent courses include Election 2020 and Arts & Design @Berkeley: California Countercultures.

Labs & Projects: Maintains Cartooning Capitalism digital archive and co-leads The Secret History of America, a collaborative research seminar. His work has been featured in Democracy Now!, KQED, and UC Berkeley News.