Entre a pluralidade e a dispersão conceitual: desafios nos estudos em jornalismo na América Latina

Abstract

This thesis investigates the conceptual dispersion surrounding studies of journalistic initiatives operating outside conventional media structures in Latin America. These initiatives are characterized by their alignment with progressive sectors and by their proposal of an alternative form of journalism beyond that grounded in the ideals of neutrality and objectivity. The study starts from the premise that categories such as Independent Journalism, Alternative Journalism, Community Journalism, and Peripheral Journalism are frequently used interchangeably, generating classificatory ambiguities and analytical challenges. The objective is to understand how scholars and journalistic initiatives construct, interpret, and contest the meanings of these categories and, based on this process, to propose a relational approach to their understanding. The research adopts a qualitative approach, combining a Systematic Literature Review of 79 scientific articles published between 2015 and 2025, interviews with specialist researchers, and an analysis of the institutional self-descriptions of Latin American journalistic initiatives. Data were organized through Content Analysis and interpreted using Constructivist Grounded Theory. The findings demonstrate that conceptual dispersion stems both from the historical, political, territorial, and organizational heterogeneity of these initiatives and from the different theoretical and methodological frameworks employed in the literature. The analysis shows that the investigated models share recurrent characteristics, organized into four structuring dimensions—political-ideological, socio-relational, organizational-labor, and technical-productive—whose combinations configure distinct journalistic profiles. The dissertation concludes that a configurational and relational perspective provides a more adequate framework for understanding journalistic initiatives than rigid typological classifications, contributing to the conceptual refinement of studies on Latin American journalism and offering an agenda for future research.