Ashvin Immanuel Devasundaram

Dr. Ashvin Immanuel Devasundaram is a Reader in Global Cinemas at Queen Mary University of London, specializing in World Cinemas with a focus on New Independent Indian Cinema, emerging cinemas from South Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa. He actively engages in transdisciplinary and intercultural exploration, connecting cinematic representations with themes such as postcolonialism, decolonisation, LGBTQ+ issues, urban violence, and cultural heritage.

• Current Research: Principal Investigator for the AHRC-funded India-UK project 'Connecting Creative Industries and Cultural Heritage: India-UK Film Festival Federation, Youth Curation and Community Co-creation' (2024-2027).
• Leadership Roles: Associate Director of the UK Asian Film Festival (UKAFF) and founder of its Edinburgh edition (2016).
• Key Themes: Intersections of cinema with philosophy, politics, migration, postmodernism, and urban transformations across India, South Africa, Bhutan, Singapore, and Brazil.

His work has led to the establishment of an international interdisciplinary research network on global urban violence and its impact on marginalized communities, alongside ongoing editorial roles in academic series and journals. He mentors through the B-MEntor scheme and integrates philosophical themes into his music with the transglobal neo-progressive rock project The Multitude.

• Scientific Awards: Edinburgh University Literary Award (2012), QMUL Community Engagement Prize (2018).