Ben Urish
- Lecturer
Contact Info
Lawrence
Biography —
Ben Urish is an Instructor in the Department of Film and Media Studies. His interest in popular culture studies began early when his mother explained Strawberry Fields Forever to him, and he discovered a book that detailed the cultural significance of the Peanuts comic strip. Ben considers himself to be a culturologist (a type of Anthropologist) specializing in the study of mass media, entertainment, and humor. He has made a handful of experimental and documentary films, and released several recording compilations under a pseudonym. Ben was given the C.W.M. Hart Award For Outstanding Contributions to Anthropology for his editing and abridging of Leslie White’s unfinished book Modern Capitalist Culture. He frequently presents interactive lectures on film, humor, media history, and other popular culture related topics.
Research —
Research interests:
- Film History
- Humor Studies
- Mass Media Communication
- Popular Culture
- Entertainment
Selected Publications —
"A Brief Overview of Extreme Cultural Diffusion” in Lambda Alpha Journal
"The Case For Harry Langdon” in The Journal of Popular Culture
“Cultural Anthropology’s Dictum” in The Dynamics of Interconnections in Popular
Culture(s) (book, also co-editor of book)
"Cultural Aesthetics” in Popular Culture Values in the Arts (book)
“Foreword” in Burlesque in a Nutshell (book)
“Humor in Popular Culture” in A Companion to Popular Culture (book)
“Is the Anthropological Study of Popular Culture Still at a Distance?” in Popular Culture Studies Across the Curriculum (book)
“Narrative Striptease in the Nightclub Era” in The Journal Of American Culture
Ray Browne on the Culture Studies Revolution (book, editor)
“sLaughter As Existential Epiphany” in Horrific Humor and the Moment of Droll
Grimness in Cinema (book)
The Words and Music of John Lennon (book, with Ken Bielen)