Biography
Photini’s research and teaching focus on the links between social and digital inequalities; power and data; and algorithmic cultural developments. By combining multi-disciplinary approaches with concepts and theories drawn from sociology, political economy and cultural theory, her work explores how data can be used to both reinforce and challenge racism, inequality and oppression; and the questions of power, agency and ideology within the digital, cultural and creative economies.
Photini has been awarded the Charlemagne Prize Fellowship for 2020-21 for her project titled Toward Solidary European Data Spaces, where she explores the deployment of solidarity governance mechanisms and the role of data literacy in the European data economy. Between 2016-2019, she was a Research Fellow in Digital Humanities at Brunel University London working on the collaborative AHRC funded project Creative Interruptions. Photini has worked with communities that exist on the margins of the digital and creative industries to create content with them, promote their work, and unveil the inequalities of the sectors.
Since 2019, Photini has been co-building the research and impact profile of Media What, an NGO committed to promoting media education through participatory media production activities that empower community voices and enhance media literacy and critical thinking.
She holds a PhD in Digital Culture and Society from King’s College London, an MA in English from King’s College London, and a BA in English Literature.
Research interests and PhD supervision
- Interplays of Race, Class, and Data Politics
- Digital Activism and Algorithmic Cultures
- Data Literacy & Data Governance
- Cultural, Digital and Creative Industries
For more information, please see Photini's full research profile.
Expertise and public engagement
Photini is on the Advisory Committee for “CYberSafety” in Cyprus, which aims to develop the National Strategy for a Better Internet.
She has been an Associate Editor for the open-access peer-reviewed academic journal Digital Culture & Education since 2018.
Selected publications
- Vrikki, P. & Malik, S. (2019) ‘Voicing Lived-experience and Anti-racism: Podcasting as a space at the margins for subaltern counterpublics’, Popular Communication. <https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15405702.2019.1622116>
- Vrikki, P. (2019) ‘Twitter as a Space of Resistance to Brexit: Stories of belonging and the concept of ‘affective citizenship.’’ in Finchett-Maddock L. & Lekakis, E. (ed.) Art, Law, Power: Perspectives of Legality and Resistance in Contemporary Aesthetics. Oxford: Counterpress.
- Vrikki, P. (2020) ‘#PeoplesVoteMarch or #LosersVoteMarch? Tracing the collective identity of a post-Brexit referendum movement on Twitter”, IN Rosenbaum, J. E. & Bouvier, G. (ed.) Communication in the Age of Twitter: The Nature of Online Deliberation. London: Routledge.
- Vrikki, P. (2018) ‘The Beginning of the End: Telling the story of Occupy Wall Street’s eviction on Twitter.’ pp.76-93. IN Adi A. (ed.) Protest Public Relations: Communicating Dissent and Activism. London: Routledge.