Drawing on Cultural Studies and post-colonial theories, this study explores how diversity is perceived within the media and how the work of a new generation of media professionals contributes to transform and enrich Italian society.
It is being led by Dr Max Mauro, Senior Lecturer in Sports Journalism.
Through semi-structured interviews with reporters, writers, podcasters, video-journalists, and Critical Discourse Analysis, the study will provide a groundbreaking investigation of issues of ethnic diversity and inclusion in Italian media.
This is a novel area of research in a country which only started to receive consistent flows of immigration in the late 1980s. The main participants in the study are the first generation of journalists/media professionals with an immigrant background. The study is complemented with interviews with editors and deputy editors of national news media, who offer a different perspective on the issue of diversity in the industry.
While providing important insights on the way the media landscape is evolving in a country central to immigration debates in Europe, this study will also illuminate patterns of diasporic media which are meaningful and important beyond Italy.
It will show how the nation-state represents a limited frame for the observation and understanding of the workings of media and belonging.