Punkast is a weekly podcast exploring punk in the historical present through critical conversations, inquiry, and collaboration.
>>> Follow the show to stay tapped in. New episodes every Friday.
In this episode:
“It’s an interdisciplinary space where we all get together and talk about a variety of experiences within punk.”
Jessica Schwartz and Ellen Bernhard discuss punk scholarship, popular culture, and the importance of building communities around critical inquiry. Drawing on their different experiences coming to punk in the 1990s, they reflect on MTV, record stores, compilations, early internet rabbit holes, and what it meant to find punk outside the scenes of major cities.
The conversation moves from personal punk histories to Ellen’s research on humor, satire, media, and punk rhetoric, as well as her work with the Punk Scholars Network US. Together, Jessica and Ellen consider how punk becomes something we not only listen to and participate in, but also study, teach, write about, organize around—and occasionally turn into plans for a Times Square billboard.
Ellen Bernhard is an Assistant Professor of Communication at Georgian Court University and President of the Punk Scholars Network US. Her research explores punk, popular culture, rhetoric, humor, and satire. She is the author of Contemporary Punk Rock Communities: Scenes of Inclusion and Dedication and co-editor of scholarly collections examining punk bands, politics, culture, and provocation.
Recorded July 2026.
Links + References:
Links: ellenbernhard@gmail.com
IG: @dr.elliesoho, @punkscholarsnetwork.us
Credits:
Punkast is hosted and produced by Jessica Schwartz.
Editorial support: Melanie Hui – audio editing, episode notes, and audio-synced transcript.
Transcript:
Theme Music:
Lady Bits, \"Bitch-a-thon,\" Lady Bits.
Related:
Jessica Schwartz co-hosts the Punk Scholars Podcast.
Connect with Punkast:
Instagram: punkastucla
Stay tapped in.