Benjamin J Toff

Associate Professor

Accepting PhD Students

20142025

Research activity per year

Personal profile

Personal profile

Benjamin Toff is an associate professor at the Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication and Director of the Minnesota Journalism Center. He is also a faculty affiliate of the Center for the Study of Political Psychology and of the Department of Political Science. He studies media audiences and political engagement, public opinion, and changing journalistic practices.

His work has been published in the Journal of Communication, Public Opinion Quarterly, Political Communication, the International Journal of Press/Politics, Journalism, Journalism Studies, Digital Journalism, among other venues. He received his PhD in political science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2016 and a BA in social studies from Harvard in 2005. Prior to entering academia, he worked as a journalist and researcher at The New York Times.

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

  • SDG 5 - Gender Equality
  • SDG 8 - Decent Work and Economic Growth
  • SDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production
  • SDG 13 - Climate Action
  • SDG 16 - Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
  • SDG 17 - Partnerships for the Goals

Education/Academic qualification

PhD, University of Wisconsin

Award Date: May 14 2016

BA, Harvard University

Award Date: Jun 3 2005

External Positions

Senior Research Fellow, Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism

Jul 1 2020 → …

Research Associate, Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism

Aug 1 2017Jun 30 2020

Research Fellow, Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism

Aug 1 2016Jul 31 2017

Research Interest Keywords

  • journalism studies
  • political communication
  • public opinion
  • news audiences
  • political psychology

Fingerprint

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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years

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  • E.E. Schattschneider Award

    Toff, B. J. (Recipient), 2018

    Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)

  • Heinz I. Eulau Award

    Toff, B. J. (Recipient), 2018

    Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)

  • Kaid-Sanders Award

    Toff, B. J. (Recipient), 2020

    Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)

  • Thomas Patterson Dissertation Award

    Toff, B. J. (Recipient), 2017

    Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)