Shakuntala Banaji

Shakuntala Banaji is a Professor of Media, Culture and Social Change at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). She leads the MSc Media, Communication and Development program and lectures on topics including International Media in the Global South, film theory, and critical approaches to media and development. Her research focuses on intersections between socio-political contexts, media, identities, and participation, particularly regarding children/youth agency, disinformation, and hate speech in digital spaces. She has conducted major projects such as the EU-funded CATCHEyoU (on youth citizenship) and research on WhatsApp misinformation linked to Indian lynching cases.

Her expertise includes Bollywood studies, media literacy, and the impact of social media on civic engagement. Banaji has authored influential books like Children and Media in India (2017) and Social Media and Hate (2022). Her work critiques exclusionary citizenship discourses and advocates for critical media education to combat disinformation and promote social justice.

Recent research explores historical propaganda and contemporary disinformation in India, Brazil, Myanmar, and the UK, emphasizing grassroots resistance against hate speech. She collaborates internationally on projects addressing media ethics, youth activism, and the role of technology in democratic processes.