Marina Levina

Marina Levina is a Professor in the Department of Communication and Film at the University of Memphis. She holds editorial roles as Editor of Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies (NCA journal) and co-editor of the Horror and Monstrosity Studies book series. Her work bridges critical/cultural studies, media analysis, and critical rhetoric, focusing on intersections of identity, embodiment, and power.

Dr. Levina earned her Ph.D. in Communication from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2006), M.A. from the University of Pennsylvania (2000), and B.A./B.S. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (1997).

Her research explores three core areas: (1) Critical rhetoric of health/disease and biopolitics, (2) Monstrosity studies in media and culture, and (3) Whiteness studies and refugee experiences. Notable works include Pandemics and the Media (2015), Biocitizenship (2018), and Monster Culture in the 21st Century (2013). Recent scholarship examines pandemic narratives, Ukraine refugee crises, and affective dimensions of whiteness.

Her 2022 publications address pandemic temporality, Ukraine/COVID intersections, and white women’s vulnerability in horror films. She also edits special journal issues on topics like 'Refuge' and 'Cruelty.'

Dr. Levina serves as President of the Critical Cultural Studies Division of NCA and actively contributes to academic discourse through editorial leadership and public scholarship.