Wow, all. Can you believe that we’re already four episodes into the Punk Scholars Podcast?! And do we have an episode for you…Introducing Ellen Bernhard - she’s the current President of the Punk Scholars Network US, and she has done compelling work on contemporary US punk scenes and has a knack for critical interrogations of punk humor. Her entry point into punk and its scholarly endeavors offers a critical contemplation on punk's mass mediation and compels conversations around that which her work and publications have touched: community, inclusion, and diversity in scenes. So give this episode a listen and learn from our resident Media and Communications punk scholar, Dr. Ellen Bernhard.

About Our Guest

Ellen Bernhard is an Assistant Professor of Communication at Georgian Court University in New Jersey and President of the PSN US chapter. Her research focuses on contemporary punk scenes and their relationships with popular culture and current events. Recent research addresses the connection between fans’ early introductions to punk rock via commercial means (Punk-O-Rama and Tony Hawk’s Pro-Skater soundtracks) and contextualizes these introductions into an understanding of a current punk rock identity. Ellen is also interested in the rhetoric of punk and the genre’s use of humor to critique and satirize. Her most recent article, “Conspicuous Co-Optation: Exploring the Subculture and Pop Culture Connection at Gainesville’s Fest” was published in Punk & Post-Punk in 2023. Her book, Contemporary Punk Rock Communities: Scenes of Inclusion and Dedication was published by Lexington Books in 2019. Currently, Ellen is co-editing a volume, tentatively titled Bad Religion: Punk Politics, Philosophy and Pedagogy, with Paul Fields at Buckinghamshire New University. She is also working on an article that looks at the semiotic lampooning that unfolded at a punk show that took place at Four Seasons Total Landscaping, the site of Rudy Giuliani’s disastrous press conference in Philadelphia following the 2020 US presidential election.

Ellen’s PSP Playlist:

Adolescents. 1981. "Amoeba." Adolescents.; Bad Religion. 1989. "Change of ideas." No Control.; Copyrights. 2014. "Away we go." Report.

Descendents. 2021. "Nightage." 9th and Walnut.; Hot Water Music. 2022. "Collect your things and run." Feel the Void.; Lawrence Arms. 2006. "Lose your illusion 1." Oh! Calcutta!; Menzingers. 2010. "Home outgrown." Chamberlain Waits.; None More Black. 2010. "Iron mouth act." Icons.; Nothington. 2009. "Not looking down." Roads, Bridges and Ruins.; Rancid. 1994. "Gave it away."Let’s Go!

Links/For More Information

PSN ig: @punkscholarsnetwork.us

My ig: @dr.elliesoho

Email: punkscholarsnetworkusa@gmail.com

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We’d love to hear from you and are soliciting episode ideas and guests.

Contact us at: punkscholarspodcast@gmail.com

The PSP theme music is excerpted from “Crows” by Watch You Drown. All rights reserved.

Season 1, Episode 4 was recorded on August 20, 2024 on Zoom with participants in the UK and the US. Paul Hollins and Jessica Schwartz co-hosted and co-produced this episode. Jessica Schwartz edited the audio. Jessica Schwartz and Paul Hollins edited the transcript, available here.

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