My interests lie in social issues and global politics, having studied for an MA in North Korean Studies at the University of Central Lancashire.

Growing up in a politically-conscious household, I began to care deeply about human rights and social justice from a young age.  I began undertaking personal research about human rights issues, the harms of extremism and fringe political beliefs when I was in my early teens. At the age of fifteen, I came across a documentary about life under the North Korean regime. Intrigued, I continued reading extensively about this topic over the coming years, finding the human rights situation within the country deeply concerning. I also became captivated in learning about the theoretical side of North Korea’s unique political system, as well as how the North Korean government leverages the media to fulfil its own ends in both domestic and internationally-directed propaganda such as in pro-North-Korea “friendship groups”.

In my Masters research, I focused my interest in neurodiversity and disability rights into my dissertation “Breaking Barriers: Advancing Disability Rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea”. As an Autistic person myself, I am a passionate advocate for inclusivity and spend a lot of time immersed in the discourse of the Autistic community.

As well as work that is related to my media expertise, I am also looking for opportunities related to my research. Feel free to get in touch at LinkedIn.com/in/jakobcotton or email me at jakobbencotton@gmail.com.

My MA dissertation: