David Gauntlett

David Gauntlett (born 15 March 1971) is a British sociologist and media theorist. His earlier work concerned contemporary media audiences, and has moved towards a focus on the everyday making and sharing of digital media and social media, as well as the power of making in general, and the role of these activities in self-identity and building creative cultures.

Gauntlett graduated from the University of York in Sociology in 1992. He completed a MA in Women's Studies at Lancaster University then took his PhD and then taught at the University of Leeds from 1993 to 2002, then was appointed Professor of Media and Audiences at Bournemouth University. In 2006 he joined the School of Media, Arts and Design at University of Westminster as Professor of Media and Communications.

From 2010-15 he was Co-Director of the Communications and Media Research Institute (CAMRI), ranked no. 4 for media and communications research in the Research Excellence Framework, which assesses the quality of research in all UK universities, in 2014. It was ranked no. 1 in the previous Research Assessment Exercise, in 2008.

Since 2015 he has been Professor of Creativity and Design, and Director of Research, at Westminster School of Media, Arts and Design.

Gauntlett's critique of media 'effects' studies sparked controversy in 1995, and since then he has published a number of books and research on the role of popular media in people's lives. In particular he has focused on the way in which digital media is changing the experience of media in general.

Since the late 1990s he produced the website Theory.org.uk.

In the 2008 book, Reading Media Theory, Barlow & Mills state: "David Gauntlett is a prominent, public academic, who has spent his career engaging in research activities which have deliberately involved the public, and have crossed the traditional divide between the academic community and the outside world."

In 2007, he was shortlisted for the 'Young Academic Author of the Year' award in the Times Higher awards. Richard Toye, of Exeter University, won the award.

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