معرفی
Helle Kannik Haastrup is an Associate Professor in the Department of Nordic Studies and Linguistics at the University of Copenhagen's Faculty of Humanities. She specializes in digital film and media culture with a particular focus on celebrity culture, social media aesthetics, and climate communication. Currently heading the 'Media Culture & Media Use' (MeMe) research group at NorS, she actively contributes to academic discourse through numerous publications and international collaborations.
Her primary research areas encompass the cultural and societal significance of celebrity culture, particularly focusing on aesthetics and genres in digital media culture. She investigates how film and television fictions create complex narratives that function as cultural forums for societal debate online. Her work explores celebrities and influencers as role models on social media, the cultural implications of digital media aesthetics, and how portrait documentaries function as a genre within contemporary media culture. A significant portion of her recent research examines climate, celebrity culture, and activism on Instagram, analyzing how politicians, influencers, and activists communicate climate issues through aesthetics, genres, authenticity, and self-presentation strategies.
Haastrup's scholarly output reveals consistent engagement with how digital media transforms traditional media consumption into participatory cultural experiences. Her work demonstrates how streaming culture creates new digital communities for film fans, with media fictions serving as cultural forums that shape online communities. She has extensively examined awards shows like the Oscars and Golden Globes as platforms for cultural criticism, analyzing how these events frame celebrity culture and serve as cultural intermediaries. Her research also explores gender representation in film, particularly through historical case studies like Asta Nielsen's cross-dressing Hamlet adaptations, and contemporary phenomena like female pop stars' behind-the-scenes documentary portraits.
- Digital Film and Media Culture - from Hollywood to Social Media (Routledge 2025)
- European Zone of Cinema & Television Culture (2024) - Co-PI with Anders Marklund, University of Lund (Funding: CEMES)
- Digital Identities & Personal Narratives (2024) - PI (Funding: Queen Mary's Centre)
- Nordic Celebrity Studies Network (2016-) - Co-founder and co-chair
Haastrup has secured significant research funding and collaborates extensively across Nordic and European institutions. She regularly contributes to public discourse through media appearances, discussing topics ranging from Danish cinema's Oscar prospects to the role of music in election campaigns. Her work bridges academic research and public engagement, making complex media phenomena accessible to broader audiences while maintaining scholarly rigor.
