Dr Rikke Amundsen

Profile

Biography

• PhD in Sociology, the University of Cambridge
• MPhil in Multi-disciplinary Gender Studies, the University of Cambridge
• MA in Human Rights, University College London
• BSocSc in Social Anthropology, the University of Manchester

Rikke joined the Department of Sociology in February 2021 as an Associate Lecturer in Social Media and Society. Before this, Rikke worked at the University of Cambridge, both as a Teaching Associate in the Department of Sociology and as a Research Associate at the Trust and Technology Initiative (TTI). At the TTI, she contributed to Mapping Trust and Technology, a project that explores how the concept of ‘trust’ is imagined, used and approached in technology research.

Rikke’s research is also concerned with the sexual politics of digital cultures, and with the increasing mediatisation of intimacy. Her PhD - entitled “Sexting as Intimacy Work: Exploring the Impact of Mediation on Intimacy” - was completed in 2019 and has so far resulted in journal articles and book chapters on the dynamics of risk, trust and intimacy in the digital exchange of private sexual imagery.

Research

Overview

Rikke’s research is concerned with the influence of digital mediation on interpersonal relations and, more specifically, on practices and perceptions of intimacy. Her research generally explores these issues in relation to gender, sexuality, power, and visual culture. Rikke’s research on the dynamics of risk and trust in digitally mediated intimacy has also led to the development of a particular research interest in the relations between risk, trust and technology.

Publications

Journal Articles

Amundsen, R. 2020. “Hetero-Sexting as Mediated Intimacy Work: ’Putting Something on the Line’”. New Media and Society. 0 (0), pp.1-16. DOI: 10.1177/1461444820962452.

Amundsen, R., 2020. “’A Male Dominance Kind of Vibe’: Approaching Unsolicited Dick Pics as Sexism”. New Media and Society. 0 (0), pp.1-16. DOI: 10.1177/1461444820907025.

Amundsen, R., 2019. “Kind of Like Making Porn of Yourself”: Understanding Sexting Through Pornography. Feminist Media Studies, 19 (4), pp.479-494. DOI: 10.1080/14680777.2018.1494617.

Book Chapters

Amundsen, R., 2019. “The Price of Admission”: On Notions of Risk and Responsibility in Women’s Sexting Practices. In: K. Lumsden and E. Harmer, eds. 2019. Online Othering: Exploring Digital Violence and Discrimination on the Web. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, pp.145-164. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-12633-9.

Amundsen, R., 2019. Cruel Intentions and Social Conventions: Locating the Shame in Revenge Porn. In: D. Ging and E. Siapera, eds. 2019. Gender Hate Online: Understanding the New Anti-Feminism. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, pp.131-149. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-96226-9.

Rikke is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. 

Rikke teaches on the MA and MSc Social Media courses.

Teaching

Rikke is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. 

Rikke teaches on the MA and MSc Social Media courses.