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Meta-research as a distinct line of inquiry within the field of Communication Studies has several pioneering references dating back to the late twentieth century (de Moragas, M., 1988; Caffarel, C., Domínguez, M. & Romano, V., 1989; Cáceres, M.D. & Caffarel, C., 1993; Urabayen, M., 1994; Jones, D.E., 1998). However, it was not until well into the present century that it became firmly established, in line with the growing maturity of the discipline. Meta-research is, in fact, a sign of the robustness of a field of knowledge, as it examines not only how knowledge advances within a discipline, but also how its scientific community works to achieve such progress.

It is therefore necessary to critically examine and disseminate scientific knowledge about academic teaching and research practices within the scholarly community itself—practices that increasingly shape the sociocultural evolution associated with the historic transformation brought about by the use and misuse of advances in digital telecommunications technologies.

The development of meta-research in Communication enables a more comprehensive understanding of the Communication research system as a whole. This, in turn, provides a foundation for the planning of public research policies (at both national and international levels), while offering researchers in the field an overview of the state of the art and helping to identify emerging areas of interest for future work, in terms of research objects, methods, techniques, purposes, and theoretical perspectives.

The aim of this special issue is to capture current research practices in Communication Studies, with particular—though not exclusive—attention to work conducted in Spain and Latin America. The objective is to contribute another chapter to the necessarily unfinished history of meta-research in any field of knowledge, in which the scientific community must not only advance in terms of results, but also map and reflect on how such progress is produced. This reflexive exercise serves, internally, to support the training of present and future generations of researchers, and externally, to inform public policies relevant to the field. Contributions are expected to address the following overarching question: How is research currently conducted in Communication Studies?

Thematic Areas

The following non-exclusive thematic lines and indicative approaches are proposed:

• Theoretical and methodological perspectives for meta-research.
• Methodological trends and innovative proposals in the construction of research objects in Communication:
• Gender: women and research in Communication, as active subjects (the role and position of female researchers in the field); and as objects of study (gender representations in communication).
• Media communication: press, radio, television, cinema, documentary, programming, digital platforms, corporate structures and alliances.
• Content production: fiction, hate speech, climate crisis, uncertainty, risks, crises, catastrophes, politics, fake news, advertising, denialism, big data, clear communication, transparency.
• Reception: media and social media consumption, cyber well-being, older adults, immersion, interaction, social and digital vulnerabilities.

Culture: digitalisation, diversity, migration, reputation, empowerment, artificial intelligence, historical phases.

• Scientific production in Communication through the characterisation of research objects and research subjects.
• Conditions of access to, production of, and circulation of national and international scientific texts in Communication Studies.
• The history of research in Communication.
• Technological innovation and the social impact of research in Communication.

Fecha límite para envío: 30 de junio de 2026

Más información aquí.