Penny CS Andrews

Penny Andrews is a writer, broadcaster and researcher whose research interests are in politics, fandom, popular and internet cultures and social trends. They have made programmes for BBC Radio 4 and written for the Times, Independent, New Statesman, Prospect, Slate, LA Review of Books and more.

Andrews is particularly interested in how identity and community are formed around political and parapolitical actors and projects, and where 'extremely online' and ironic behaviour meets sincerity, intense emotional attachment and even radicalisation.

They also write about Doctor Who, popular music and television and have theories about science fiction and British politics. Past projects include research on autism and higher education, the impact of new policies on workers and technology and the relationship between free speech and factional alliances.

At the University of Leeds, they worked on politics fandom as part of the Leverhulme-funded Left Populism project with Dr Jonathan Dean and at the University of Sheffield their thesis project examined the impact of the REF Open Access policy on researchers, library staff and infrastructure.

Their pronouns are they/them.