Historia y Comunicación Social (ISSN 1137-0734, ISSN-e 1988-3056) is a scientific journal which publishes research focused on contemporary communication and history, from a diachronic perspective. Founded in 1996, the journal is currently published biannually in electronic format. It includes articles about contemporary history, the history of ideas, the history of social communication, journalism and most importantly the history of the media. Articles submitted for publication are sent for peer review in order to maintain the highest standards.
In order to support the global exchange of knowledge, the journal Historia y Comunicación Social is allowing unrestricted access to its content as from its publication in this electronic edition, and as such it is an open-access journal. The originals published in this journal are the property of the Complutense University of Madrid and any reproduction thereof in full or in part must cite the source. All content is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 use and distribution licence (CC BY 4.0). This circumstance must be expressly stated in these terms where necessary. You can view the summary and the complete legal text of the licence.
Media consumption among Teenagers. New media and Old Stories in Transmedia context
The aim of this article is to analyze the media preferences of young people aged between 12 and 18 years old. The starting hypothesis is that the apparent diversity of supply does not entail consumption of alternative media content or without gender bias. A survey of 10 open-ended questions -codified and treated in a quantitative way- to 1538 adolescents (798 females-771 males) was carried out. The results confirm that media content preferences are inserted within a mainstream transmedia, whether produced by the traditional media companies or by the new YouTube media stars. Media fragmentation does not lead to the emergence of alternative consumption, perpetuating the gender gap
Copyright (c) 2020 Historia y Comunicación Social
“Ser y valer”: three portraits of the female diaspora captured in the graphic novel by women artists
In this study three graphic novels have been analyzed: The Lost of Jessica Abel, Pérsepolis of Marjane Satrapi and Fatherland of Nina Bunjevac, published during the period between the years 2002-2015, with the aim of pointing out as from the feminine identity this complex multidisciplinary plastic manifestation describes complex and unfortunate events in the history of the present time, such as: uprooting, exile, racism and defenselessness. From content analysis we will demonstrate the importance of graphic novels referred to as a historical document. Narrated from the personal experience of the aforementioned authors-designers and the voluntary and involuntary migrants of different nationalities as the North American, Iranian, and Eastern European, contextualizing it in the place from which they depart towards which they are heading to settle. Previously we elaborated an introduction that bifurcates in two visions of interest: a conceptual one about the origin of the migration and its anthropological connotation and another one that refers and considers the graphic novel a considerable resource, -though still unpublished for the historiography-, for create awareness about controversial sociological-historical issues as those exposed. Speech that we will continue to develop in the future from the following titles: Sansamba by Susanna Marín, Sofia and Judith Vanistendeal's Black, Rolling Blackouts. Dispatches from Turkey, Syria and Iraq by Sarah Gliden and Bienvenue à Calais, Les raisons de la colère by Marie-Françoise Colombani
José Antonio Aguirre's oath, an inauguration in the Spanish Civil War
The current research studies the informative treatment of the Jose Antonio Aguirre’s inauguration in the Spanish press of the time. It is a ceremony considered as an historical event of great importance in the symbolic construction of the Basque Country, which takes place in the middle of Spanish Civil War. Through an analysis of the published news, we delve into the use, both Republican and Francoist sides, of the press as a actors and political transmitters of propaganda.
The women into Japanese cinema through the eyes of Ozu and Yoshida
The study of the role of women throughout the history of cinema, is the center of multidisciplinary and pluriperspectivistic researches. This article focuses on the work of two filmmakers who evolve the figure of women for several decades in very different social, artistic and political contexts: from the classic vision of Ozu to the revolutionary look of Yohsida, the female characters travel the cinematographic plots of both filmmakers, setting the profile of a woman who embraces renewal, among the ruins of the tradition of Japanese culture.
Formal evolution and content in Asturian newspapers. From World War One to the Primo de Rivera Dictatorship
Between 1914 and 1923, and in general during the 1910s and 1920s, important changes occurred in the Asturian press that can be seen, for example, in the type of dailies which achieved certain readership levels. The form and number of pages evolved, images became more common, so-called citizen journalism was more freely practised, and there was a trend -when there was an opportunity- towards publishing articles which involved the author travelling to distant lands. Simultaneously, the consideration of sport as a show and the treatment given to other content both helped outline a new media scenario.
The Moral Economy of Incel Discourse: From a Subsistence Minimum to a Recognition Threshold in Attention Markets
Drawing on the moral economy tradition, we propose the concept of the Incel Moral Economy (IME) as a set of norms and expectations about deservingness and obligations that shape the distribution of status and, consequently, access to affective–sexual relationships with women. We conduct a qualitative study based on the construction and analysis of a purposive corpus of entries from the collaborative encyclopedia The Incel Wiki. IME provides an explanatory framework for approaching incels’ lived grievances within a neoliberal context that frames intimate relations as a market, and within attention markets on social media. The reviewed literature shows that platforms amplify and monetize this lexicon and these economistic codes for interpreting and expressing human relationships, and documents gateway pathways toward far-right repertoires.
Copyright (c) 2026 Historia y Comunicación Social
Between Testimony and Reflection: Postdocumentary in Post-Conflict Colombia
This article analyzes the Colombian documentary Amor rebelde (Alejandro Bernal Rueda, 2021) as a representative example of the postdocumentary turn in Latin America. The film offers an alternative perspective on the Colombian armed conflict through the intimate experience of two former guerrilla members undergoing reintegration. Using a mixed methodology and drawing on the theoretical models of Nichols, Ruffinelli, and Català Domènech, the study explores the film’s reflexive, emotional, and symbolic dimensions, positioning it within a contemporary corpus that redefines the boundaries of memory documentary cinema.
García Fernández, Emilio C. (2025). Viaje cinematográfico por Galicia: Una retrospectiva emocional (1896-1939), Editorial Fragua, Madrid, ISBN: 9791399121872. 991 pp.
Journalism and rugby in Spain: from scholarly omission to digital self-affirmation and thematic feminization
Rugby is already a globalized and media-dependent sport with scholarly attention. What is not yet established are the aspects that scientific research focuses on, particularly the relation between specialized journalism and rugby. This work set up the sources for a history of Spanish rugby journalism and determines the state of the sport in Spain within a global framework of professionalization, feminization, and TV broadcasting and digital media dependence. After analyzing rugby-related publications, it is concluded that they have a fourfold focus: rugby versus football; Spanish versus global one; specialized journalism in a country where beside football other sports got specialized coverage; and as independent publications versus institutional ones, especially those of the Spanish Rugby Federation.
Stereotypes of the female image on the covers of the magazine Blanco y Negro during the Second Republic (1931-1936)
This article stems from the research project entitled “The Graphic Representation of Culture in General Interest Magazines during the Second Republic,” and focuses on the symbolism of women in the press during that period. The overall objective is to understand the stereotypes of the female image on the covers of the magazine Blanco y Negro, created by renowned artists. The method consisted of a documentary analysis of the 264 covers published during the Republic (April 14, 1931, to July 18, 1936), which resulted in 214 dedicated to the female image. The stereotypes presented on these covers fall into the following categories: Identity (modernity, fashion, and classicism); Activity (culture, sports, family, religion, and work); and Trend (local customs and exoticism).
Women journalists during the Franco regime in África: revista de tropas coloniales and La Guinea española
The media facilitates the dissemination of world events in a compact format, but it is also an instrument of power. During the Franco regime, men controlled publications from positions of power and through censorship. Nevertheless, some women were able to integrate themselves into the institutional mechanism to offer their voices and forge a path in the sector. This article seeks to analyze and compare the publications produced by women in two magazines linked to the colonies: África: revista de tropas coloniales and La Guinea española. The aim is not only to understand the types of topics they were able to address in a space different from the metropolitan one, but also to identify similarities and differences between territories.
Critique in video game journalism from a gender perspective: differences in professional practice between women and men in Spain (1997-2022)
This paper describes the differences between women and men in the exercise of cultural criticism within video game journalism. We analyzed reviews published in six Spanish magazines —Meristation, Vandal, Hobby Consolas, IGN, Nintenderos and AreaJugones— from the origins of the specialized digital press, in 1997, to 2022 (n=23,230). The results show how, despite the gender prejudices associated with women —and the historical discrimination entailed— the differences between groups are practically null: the average score coincides regardless of media outlets, dates, age classification or predominant genres. The main difference is found in video games with sexual content, where women are more critical.
Copyright (c) 2025 Historia y Comunicación Social
Media representation of women in Ecuador's indigenous uprisings: comparative analysis of 1990 and 2019
This research analyzes the representation of indigenous women in the uprisings of 1990 and 2019 in Ecuador. Communication and Anthropology are articulated to expose the reduced female presence in the media narrative, dominated by heteropatriarchal and colonial perspectives. The media influence the construction of representations and, by relegating women to secondary roles, they deny their political capacity and reproduce their exclusion. Thirty-two journalistic texts (out of a total of 184) are examined through a CAQDAS analysis. The results show the need to rethink the relationship between gender, media and social movements with an urgent change in news coverage that gives greater visibility to indigenous women as agents of change.
Virtual assistants as a means of communication with older people suffering from loneliness
The results obtained from the evaluation of the experience developed with virtual assistants as a support tool in the communication of a group of social workers responsible for a program to reduce loneliness in people over 65 years of age are presented. The purpose of this work has been to deepen the analysis of innovative communication strategies with integration of technology in social interventions. The evaluation of their impact contributes significantly to the growth of their effectiveness. The results of the study suggest that the integration of technology, in this case, "Alexa", is seen as a valuable and transformative strategy to improve communication and address loneliness in older people.
Massified Pedagogies of Cruelty: The caso of the Bahía Portete – Colombia
The article examines the journalistic treatment of the Bahía Portete Massacre (2004–2024), one of the most atrocious episodes of violence against the Wayuu Indigenous people and their women leaders, from an intersectional and critical discourse analysis perspective. Through a mixed-methods approach, and combining situational mapping, content analysis, and documentary review, the study reveals how Colombian media have reproduced pedagogies of cruelty (Segato, 2018), obscuring the ethnic, gender, and political dimensions of the crime. The research advocates for a critical, sensitive, and reparative journalism that contributes to dismantling the power discourses sustaining gender-based violence in contexts of armed.
Perpetuating sex gaze in the digital era: A study of the female figure in AIGC images in Chinese social media
Nowadays, Artificial Intelligence Generated content (AIGC) technology expands the channels of image generation, offering new avenues for content creation on social media platforms. However, deeper ethical reflection is needed to analyze whether the application of AIGC means taking a step forward or a step back. Compared with other similar social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube, Weibo is very active in using this technology, and this article uses the Chinese platform Weibo as a case study to analyze the gender-conscious issues reflected in AIGC images. The transformation of image information into visual representations documents the brand status of women in AIGC images, along with the evolution of these images regardless of the creators’ original intentions. The findings reveal that AIGC images on social media platforms such as Weibo prominently perpetuate stereotypes of women, a phenomenon that has not diminished with technological advancements, but has instead further marginalized women. The study concludes that ethical concerns around AIGC image content need to be addressed beyond AI platforms, advocating for the establishment of a governance community that incorporates diverse stakeholder interventions, thereby laying the groundwork for a more fair and equitable AI landscape.
A campaign without discourse: Content analysis of the main 2023 general election candidates' posts on social networks
Political communication in social networks plays an essential role in electoral campaigns; however, their use and management have evolved since they began to be used in 2008. Currently, given the increase in the consumption of social networks by the population, these platforms have become a key instrument to reach the citizen, conveying ideas, political programs or the ideology of the candidate or party. Still, are social networks used with that intention? This work is based on the following hypothesis: political communication on social networks is exempt from discourse, and therefore, the candidates for the general election of 23J, the object of study of this work, do not share substantial content on social networks, but they seek to convey an image instead. To verify this, this study carries out a content analysis of the main publications made by Pedro Sánchez (PSOE); Alberto Núñez Feijoó (PP); Yolanda Díaz (Sumar); y Santiago Abascal (Vox) on Facebook, X, TikTok and Instagram. Among the main conclusions, it should be noted that the discourse has been replaced by more superficial messages, and TikTok is emerging as a key player in electoral political communication.
Salvador de Madariaga, correspondent for El Sol (1918-1919): post-war chronicles from London
The aim of this paper is to highlight the work of Salvador de Madariaga as a correspondent in London for the newspaper El Sol between November 1918 and October 1919, a little-studied aspect of this intellectual's career. In his reports, Madariaga not only attested to the political, social and economic situation at an important moment in the history of the United Kingdom, but also advanced some of the ideas that would appear in his later work. Furthermore, these reports are yet another example of Madariaga's role as a cultural mediator between Spain and Europe, as well as the importance that El Sol attached to foreign news in its pages.
The ambivalent use of technology as it relates to digital well-being: an exploration of gratifications and adverse effects among Spanish users
This study analyzes the relationship between intensive technology use and digital well-being among the adult population in Spain. Based on a survey of 1,107 participants, it examines uses, gratifications, and tensions across personal, professional, and social domains. Grounded in the Uses and Gratifications Theory, it identifies benefits related to functionality and connectivity, along with adverse effects such as information fatigue or disconnection from the real world. No direct relationship is observed between time of use and well-being, highlighting the importance of conscious digital engagement and promoting Digital Wellbeing Literacy as a key competence for balanced and healthy technology use.
History of methodologies for the analysis of resistance strategies and counter-narratives against the ‘manosphere’. A commitment to Action-Research
This article analyses, from a feminist and critical perspective, the main methodologies used in studying the manosphere and the resistances that have emerged against it. Approaches such as Critical Discourse Analysis, Digital Ethnography and Feminist Netnography, Social Network Analysis (SNA), Data Mining, and Natural Language Processing (NLP) are examined, assessing their advantages and limitations in researching hate speech and counter-strategies. Additionally, action research is proposed as the most suitable methodological model to evaluate the effectiveness of feminist counter-narratives. It allows for the integration of theoretical analysis and concrete action, collaborating directly with activists and feminist communities in designing resistance strategies. The conclusions highlight the importance of adopting methodological approaches that not only describe the expansion of the manosphere but also contribute to strengthening feminist resistance. The need to integrate participatory methodologies that acknowledge situated knowledge and avoid reproducing power hierarchies in research is emphasised. Furthermore, there is an urgent need to develop interdisciplinary tools that enable understanding and countering digital misogyny from a critical and transformative perspective.
Comparative analysis of media coverage and political discourse on social media regarding the natural disaster “Dana-29-O”
This study analyzes and compares the dominant frames of news stories and social media posts published during the two weeks following the natural disaster "Dana 29-O," which occurred in Valencia on October 29, 2024. A corpus of 1,597 items is examined. Regarding the media, the frames presented in the headlines of 1,203 pieces belonging to two national media outlets (El Mundo and El País) and two regional media outlets (Las Provincias and Valencia Plaza) are analyzed. Regarding social media, the frames identified in 400 publications are examined. Specifically, the posts of three national political parties (PSOE, PP, and Vox), the respective accounts of their regional federations (PSPV-PSOE, PPCV, and Vox Comunidad Valenciana), as well as the account of the political party Compromís, which operates solely in the Valencian Community, the site of the disaster, were analyzed. The methodology applied was based on a qualitative analysis following the collection of pieces through the digital tools MyNews and Factiva. The research examined the presence and absence of frames related to human interest, economic consequences, attribution of responsibility, conflict, and morality. The findings indicate a general primacy of human interest, as both the media and social media focus on the victims. However, the evolution of frames indicates a significant increase in attribution of responsibility. This data reflects a shift in focus from those affected to those perceived as responsible for the management of the event, thus shifting attention from human suffering to a critical analysis of political and institutional management.
Accounting for objects: the rattle of historical memory
In recent years, objects exhumed from Francoist mass graves have sparked considerable media interest. The press recounts familial and scientific-technical stories associated with these objects through diverse discursive practices. This article analyses, through press articles published between 2009 and 2023, the discourse surrounding the rattle exhumed alongside Catalina Muñoz Arranz, a woman repressed by Franco's regime in Palencia in 1936. Employing Ruth Wodak’s methodology of historical discourse analysis and a neo-materialist and feminist interpretative framework, we introduce the concept of ambivalent object, showing how journalistic narratives about the rattle generate political deactivations marked by gender, as well as reparative reactivations of historical memory.
Elites and criminality in Colombia: analysis from the Truth Commission’s report
The article analyzes how elites and criminality influenced violence during the armed conflict in Colombia. Using the categories of constellations, crimilegal order, and secrecy, it explains how interactions between politicians, entrepreneurs, and criminals shaped illegal social orders. The qualitative comparative methodology included process tracing in Volume 2 of the Final Report of the Commission for the Clarification of Truth. Six mechanisms associated with criminal governance were identified: elite alliances, drug trafficking, political power, land control, politics and crime, and paramilitarism, concluding that the relationship with criminality contributes to explaining the violence among the country.
Sálvame: A Paradigmatic Format of Genre Hybridization in the History of Spanish Television
On June 23, 2023, the last episode of one of the most successful formats on Spanish television since its premiere in 2009 was broadcast: Sálvame, the hallmark of Telecinco (Mediaset Group). This study aims to determine the genre to which the format was ascribed and what were the elements that contributed to its success and permanence on screen for fourteen years with a screen share higher than the average of the channel, being this the most watched in Spain for ten consecutive years (2012-2022). After conducting twenty in-depth interviews, the results point to Sálvame as a paradigmatic case of television hybridization. This mix of genres focused on entertainment is the main asset of the program.
The Ideological Work of the #Tradwives Movement: Monetizing Anti-Feminist Aesthetics in the Digital Sphere
The debate on gender equality is increasingly polarised, with an anti-feminist movement that considers it an ‘ideological invention’ (Tebaldi and Baran, 2023). This rejection, especially among young men (CIS, 2024), is reflected in the expansion of the ‘manosphere’, also present in Spain (García Mingo et al., 2022). In parallel, the #Tradwives movement has emerged, promoting a hyper-feminine aesthetic. The article analyses how female abnegation is presented as a false promise of freedom, contributing to the normalisation of women's dependency and reinforcing the reactionary narratives of the far right. Through digital ethnography and discourse analysis, it concludes that the ‘tradwife’ aesthetic perpetuates gender roles, monetising patriarchal femininity under a supposed ideological neutrality.
Use of artificial intelligence by university students of Communication: knowledge, advantages, disadvantages and professional futurology
Given the growing adoption of AI in education, we surveyed the perception and use of AI among undergraduate Communication students. 90.3 % have used AI tools for academic work, with ChatGPT being the most popular. Despite extended use, 65.7 % would not recommend AI for academic work, indicating a concern about a possible decrease in critical skills and technology dependence. Advantages —better time management and quality of work— and disadvantages —unreliability and risk of plagiarism— are identified. Although AI can be a valuable tool in higher education, its use must be regulated and accompanied by proper training for students to maximise benefits and minimise risks. It is suggested that universities develop clear policies on the use of AI and provide specific training to prepare the whole community for an increasingly digitised working environment.
Journalism in Film: All the President´s Men and The Post as Two Visions of The Washington Post
This paper presents an analysis of the representation of journalism in cinema through two key films: All the President's Men (1976) and The Post (2017), both centered on historical journalistic moments led by reporters from The Washington Post. Based on five variables—democratic function, journalistic ethics, social impact, gender representation, and relationship with power—this study examines how the image of journalism is constructed in these cinematic works. The study is grounded in Habermas's public sphere theory and framing theory, which provide a framework to interpret the role of cinema in shaping public perceptions of journalism. The research also addresses the tensions between the idealization of the profession and the challenges faced by those who practice it.
Media Coverage of Surrogacy and International Adoption in Ukraine: A Comparative Study of ABC and El País (2010–2024)
This study analyzes the media coverage of news related to adoption and surrogacy in Ukraine through metaphorical representations found in El País and ABC from 2010 to 2024. Using a qualitative approach, 41 news articles were examined with a focus on the metaphors employed. The objectives were to identify metaphorical language, compare its use across both newspapers, and analyze potential ideological differences. Findings confirm that adoption is portrayed positively (using metaphors such as “salvation” and “new life”) while surrogacy is depicted negatively (e.g., as “business” or “transaction”), with minor discursive variations linked to editorial stance.
Voluntary Transparency in Spanish Universities: A Website Analysis on the Occasion of March 8th, International Women's Day
The study reflects on voluntary or proactive institutional transparency in Spanish universities through their official websites. It analyzes the informational visibility given to the commemoration of International Women's Day on March 8, 2025, across university websites. A comparative study is conducted between public and private universities, focusing on the presence of topic-specific news, differences in the tone and scope of information, and the programming of institutional activities supported by gender equality units or offices within the institutions. This is an exploratory study employing both qualitative and quantitative content analysis, covering the entirety of Spanish universities.
Narrative Strategies to ‘Give Voice to the Voiceless’ in Holocaust Survivors’ Testimonies
The article analyses ten literary works written by Holocaust survivors’ and explores how authors, through their written testimonies, act as spokespersons for the victims who perished. It examines how survivors employ different narrative strategies that help to give voice to those who could not survive. These strategies include the use of the first-person plural and a collective we, expressive rawness and a critical tone, and the nominal treatment of victims. The study concludes that such discursive strategies enable survivors to honour Holocaust victims and prevent their oblivion, integrating them into history through the narration of their experiences.