MITCOM – Methods, Innovation, and Theories in Communication Research Group
- Grupos de investigación
- Humanities, Documentation and Comunication
- MITCOM – Methods, Innovation, and Theories in Communication Research Group
- Group head:
- Manuel Goyanes
- Email:
- manuel.goyanes@uc3m.es
Description
The Methods, Innovation, and Theories in Communication Research Group (MITCOM), led by Dr. Manuel Goyanes, is housed within the Department of Communication Sciences at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid.
The research group is dedicated to the experimental and conceptual advancement of methodological and theoretical thinking in the field of communication. Our work seeks to critically engage with contemporary mass communication processes by examining how research methods and theories are designed and applied to address the complexities of today’s media landscape.
Drawing upon an interdisciplinary perspective, our research focuses on exploring, adapting, and developing innovative research methods for the analysis of communication phenomena—often integrating techniques from other disciplines—as well as creating reliable research protocols for their application.
At the same time, the research team investigates how both classical and emerging theories contribute to the current understanding of communication processes and to the conceptual development of the communication field. A central emphasis of our work lies in the interplay between theory and method, considering how theoretical frameworks shape the construction of research questions and guide methodological decisions, while also exploring how new methodological advances can inform and refine our theoretical thinking.
Through our interdisciplinary approach, MITCOM aims to contribute both empirically and conceptually to the evolution of communication research methods and theories.
Lines of research
· Exploration, adaptation, and development of research methods for studying communication processes, including the incorporation of techniques from other fields. The primary goal is to create, identify, evaluate, and systematize innovative methodological approaches that are useful for analyzing contemporary media problems. This line of research also focuses on developing rigorous methodological protocols that enable the solid and replicable application of such techniques in future studies. Additionally, it involves the critical adaptation of traditional methodologies to the study of current media phenomena, with special attention to the potential of methodological innovation in redefining objects of study, analytical models, and modes of knowledge production in the field of communication.
· Study of media theories, including those developed in related disciplines. Specifically, this research investigates the extent to which traditional theories continue to provide relevant interpretive frameworks for understanding current media processes and how they can contribute to a better understanding of contemporary problems. At the same time, this line promotes the critical analysis and application of emerging theories (both within and beyond the field of communication) in order to expand and enrich the conceptual framework through which media phenomena are addressed. In this regard, theoretical innovation is seen as a strategy for challenging dominant theoretical categories and fostering a more open and critical approach to communication.
· Research on the relationships between theories and research methods in communication, based on the assumption that theoretical models not only offer conceptual frameworks but also shape the design and application of methodological techniques used in empirical research. This line of work examines how classical and contemporary theories guide the construction of research objects, the formulation of research questions, the selection of methods, and the interpretation of findings. It also explores how methodological advances and theoretical transformations contribute to the development of the field, considering innovation not only as a driver of epistemological change but also as a specific object of study. This line further includes the transfer of best practices to professional contexts, aiming to provide interpretive frameworks and applied guidance in response to the emerging challenges of today’s communication landscape.
Contact email: research@uc3m.es