Dr. Idil Galip is a researcher, writer, and consultant working on digital culture, internet communities, and new media.
Her work investigates how culture is produced, circulated, and contested in algorithmic environments. She is known for her work on memes and memetic media, which examines “the meme” not simply as an object of internet culture, but as a foundational infrastructure through which contemporary culture and politics are increasingly organised.
This work has since expanded across a wider range of emerging digital phenomena, including algorithmic culture, generative AI, AI slop, brainrot, “chronically online” discourse, podcasting, and livestreaming cultures. Across these projects, her central concern remains the same: how do new technologies transform the ways culture is made, shared, understood, and fought over?
Her writing spans academic journals, edited volumes, arts publications, essays, blogs, and experimental publishing. She holds a PhD in Sociology from the University of Edinburgh, and founded the Meme Studies Research Network in 2020. She taught as a Lecturer in New Media and Digital Culture at the University of Amsterdam from 2022 to 2026.
Alongside her research and writing, İdil works with museums, universities, media organisations, and cultural institutions on research, curation, exhibitions, public programming, workshops, and creative projects.
She runs the Digital Culture Research Studio, an independent research practice translating expertise on digital culture and online communities into advisory and cultural work.
Idil Galip, PhD
The Science of Brainrot — a public lecture and discussion on brainrot, memes, and digital culture with Erasmus Studium Generale.
Dr. Idil Galip discusses the rise of “brainrot” content and what it reveals about memes, attention, and contemporary internet culture.
Dr. Idil Galip on memes, brainrot, AI, and algorithmic culture in a podcast interview for the Media Majlis Museum, Northwestern University in Qatar.
Dr. Idil Galip discusses memes and their cultural, political, and economic power in this video for DW.
Dr. Idil Galip joins the Global Art Forum for a conversation on posting, platform decline, AI slop, dead internet theory, and the changing experience of being online.
Qualifications
Education
PhD Sociology, University of Edinburgh (2023)
MSc Political sociology, London School of Economics (2017)
BA Political science and philosophy, Bilkent University (2016)
Founder
Digital Culture Research Studio (2023), Amsterdam
Meme Studies Research Network (2020-2024), Edinburgh
Roles
Board member, The Hmm (2024-continuing)
Lecturer in Digital Culture and New Media, University of Amsterdam (2022-2026)
Director of New Media and The Digitalisation of Everyday Life (MA), University of Amsterdam, (2024-2025)
Tutor in Sociology, University of Edinburgh (2019-2022)
Researcher, University of Edinburgh (2019-2022)