Dr. Ben Griffin

Biography

Ben Griffin is an Associate Professor of Modern British History at the University of Cambridge, where he specializes in the intersection of gender and political processes in Britain from the late eighteenth century. His research focuses on the historical roles of masculinity and how evolving ideas of masculinity have influenced political behavior and expectations among elites. His book, 'Politics and Gender in Victorian Britain', won the Royal Historical Society's Whitfield Prize in 2012 and argues that shifts in women's rights are deeply intertwined with changing perceptions of masculinity. Additionally, Griffin has contributed extensively to discussions on gender politics through various publications, including articles on paternal rights and the law, as well as historiographical analyses of masculinity's role in historical narratives. He is currently working on a book titled 'Gender Order and Judicial Imagination: Masculinity, Liberalism, and Law, c. 1760-1960', which examines the interaction between legal knowledge and shifting concepts of masculinity. Griffin is actively supervising doctoral students on subjects ranging from bachelorhood and intimacy in the nineteenth century to political engagement rituals. He also teaches various courses on modern British history and serves as the Chair for the Modern British and Irish History Subject Group.

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