Universitat Rovira i Virgili

ASTERISC. Communication research group

ASTERISC communication research group was created in 2008. It has been recognized as a consolidated research group by the Generalitat of Catalonia (SGR2009-1146 and SGR2014-0669) from 2009 to 2016 and from 2017 to 2019 (SGR2017-360). The group is currently in its 4th SGR (SGR2021-108).

Research carried out by ASTERISC researchers can be defined as an approximation to different areas through qualitative methodologies of communicative evaluation that place the audience as the main feature of communication and information processes; and methodological qualitative approaches that emphasize innovation and transversality.

ASTERISC is committed to the centrality of communication in social, political and economic activities. The coherence of the group lies in the thematic approach of the various lines of research that make it up. Communication as a central process of society's activity, with special emphasis on new technologies and formats. Thematically, two main lines have been conceived that perfectly demonstrate the singularity and plurality of our group.

The two main research lines are the following:

COMMUNICATION IN RISK SOCIETY
It covers the fields of strategic communication in its wide sense such as consulting services in political communication, planning of institutional communication, planning of communicative campaigns for corporations and institutions, management of company, public institutions and political parties press offices, public relations in the mentioned areas and journalistic specialization in topics related to politics -electoral campaigns, political crisis management-, institutions, industry and the environment.

Areas of interest:

IDENTITY AND CULTURAL STUDIES
It aims to analyse media culture as main key in the communicative processes, taking into consideration the study of media communication in the framework of social, ideological and economic development (bearing in mind transversal dimensions such as gender, ethnic origin, age and class, as well as the role of media in the construction of identity elements); and the relation between cultural studies and media, what is known as film studies, critical studies on television and new media studies.
In parallel with these aspects, our work is also centered on the application of audiovisual and advertising research, media structure and content analysis.

Areas of interest:

One of the strong points that characterizes ASTERISC group is its organizational structure, always at the service of sustainable growth nurtured from below. The group has been growing in number of researchers and volume of projects and scientific production, despite the complex circumstances of recent years. This growth coincides with one of the main objectives, which is the training of a young research team.

The desire to maintain a constant line of renewal and training of researchers is part of the alliance and direct connection between ASTERISC and two parallel structures that, in synergy with the Department of Communication Studies of the URV, collaborate with the group and in which most of the members participate: the Master in Strategic Communication (MASTERDEC) and the Doctorate in Anthropology and Communication (DAC).

In the latter, in addition, the defense of a transdisciplinary research is evident since it is the product of the merger and collaboration between the Departments of Communication and Anthropology, Philosophy and Social Work of the URV. The collaboration with the Doctorate and Master's program establishes clear transversal frameworks as a basis for training activities within the group.

Contacte:
 977 558 532