Hritvika Lakhera

Email: jxbr0743@leeds.ac.uk
Thesis title: Algorithmic social media, short-form content, and independent labels in the British punk scene
Supervisors: Professor David Hesmondhalgh, Dr Ellis Jones

Profile

I have an academic background in Literature with my MA in English from the University of Delhi, India. My postgraduate dissertation was titled 'Church Of Wishful Thinking': Allegories, Retellings, and Adaptations of Religious Iconography and Mythos in Green Day's American Idiot and 21st Century Breakdown. I am carrying forward my interest in punk and related scholarship with my current PhD project that looks into contemporary independent music scenes in conjunction with digital networks.

I have also taken interest in music and poetry outside of academia, with poetry published in journals In Plainspeak and Spillwords. My latest publication is an anthology of queer poetry titled Love this too. I have also worked to create digital zines for online distribution, including a punk-and-riot-grrrl inspired zine titled New Riot Inc.

I have been involved with queer and mental health advocacy and remain interested in creating peer-support networks for queer and neurodivergent people.

Research interests

My research interests lie in media and cultural studies, music subcultures and digital cultures, genre fiction – specfically horror media, and Marxist perspectives.

Qualifications

M.A. English (University of Delhi)
English Honours (Miranda House, University of Delhi)