Josh Cohen (born 1970) is a British psychoanalyst, academic and author. Between 1996 and 2024, he taught in the English department at Goldsmiths, University of London, where he was appointed Professor of Modern Literary Theory in 2010. He was elected to Membership of the British Psychoanalytical Society in 2009, and to Fellowship in 2014.
His essays have appeared in Granta, Aeon (magazine), The Yale Review and 1843 (magazine). He has written articles and reviews for The Guardian, The Times Literary Supplement, New Statesman and Prospect (magazine). He has published eight books and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.
Reviews of CohenâÂÂs books have been generally positive. His 2013 book The Private Life was praised for its writing and ideas by The Guardian, The Daily Telegraphàand The Observer, while The Independentàwas more critical, considering it at times âÂÂdry and protractedâÂÂ. Not Working (2019) received enthusiastic reviews from The Guardian, The New Statesman, Literary Reviewàand The Financial Times, and a more mixed review from The Observer. How to Live. What to Do (2021) was very positively reviewed by the TLSàand Kirkus Reviews, while Publishers Weeklyàfelt its discussion of literature was weakened by its favouring âÂÂoverwhelmingly white, western authorsâÂÂ.