Call for papers: The Media and the Transition to Democracy (new submission deadline)
Coordinated by: Marco Gomes (IPLeiria, CEIS20, CI&DEI) e Inês Conde (IPLeiria)
The editors of this issue of Mediapolis (Marco Gomes and Inês Conde) welcome the submission of original articles focused on the role of the media and its professionals in processes of transition to democracy.
In Portugal, the military coup of April 25th 1974 is an inseparable milestone of the third wave of democratization, a concept coined by Samuel Huntington (1991). This movement began in Portugal and then spread to Greece, in July 1974, and to Spain, in 1975 – later extending to Latin America and Eastern Europe.
In this sense, the 25th of April assumed a pioneering role with respect to democratic transition, as well as it adopted a particular significance in the geostrategic dynamics of the Cold War, drawing the attention of journalists, politicians, intellectuals, and activists from various parts of the world. The fiftieth anniversary of the 25th of April events inspire this edition of Mediapolis, focused on the relationship between the media and the democratic transition processes.
Journalists, image reporters, and other media professionals took to the streets to report the various phases of the ongoing military coup. After decades of censorship, these professionals exercised the journalistic activity in a democracy. This news coverage is the first draft of the history of an (almost) bloodless revolution, supported from the start by the many popular people who flooded the streets of the Portuguese capital taking the first, decisive, steps towards citizenship.
The downfall of Estado Novo ended nearly five decades of dictatorship (1926-1974) and provided the ingredients that energized a revolutionary process only concluded with the approval of the new constitutional text, on April 2, 1976.During this period of 23 months – so prone to, using the words of Karl Kraus (2018, p. 120), "take the special edition so lightly as the event itself" –, Portugal experienced complex strategies of political and military action and an explosion of political and social participation by citizens. These civic dynamics, which never reached an identical dimension after the stabilization of Portuguese democracy, cannot be dissociated from the fact that the media played a role not only in informing about the events in progress, but also in mobilizing people to participate in several key moments of the Portuguese Revolutionary Process (PREC). Their ideological role in politicizing a population that was, at the time, mostly illiterate and lacking in civic-political education is also noteworthy.
Facing a troubled period that reflected the urgency of the definition of a political system, the Portuguese media reported the societal dynamics, as well as they intervened as active political actors (Figueira, 2007). In this context, the media became involved in political struggles, were targets of multiple attempts of control, and underwent profound transformations resulting from the regulation of the media sector, as well as from the journalistic professional activity or the corporate structure (Gomes, 2021).
Reflecting on the media and democratic transition processes, in the light of the 25th of April events, necessarily involves considering that the two years of the Portuguese Revolutionary Process were under close scrutiny from the rest of the world, namely through the news coverage by international journalists who came to Portugal, in a context of growing tension. This is an essential dimension to understand how these reports disseminated by media from different countries contributed to the complex political-diplomatic dynamics played by the international superpowers of the time, exerting their influence and power in the Portuguese national political and economic life. The relevance of this historical process to other – social, political, and military – movements fighting for democratization should also be underlined. These include liberation movements in Portuguese-speaking African countries, organizations aiming to overthrow the Franco regime in Spain, or groups from other countries living under dictatorial regimes, such as those in Latin America
On the 50th anniversary of the 25th of April, the editors of this issue of Mediapolis welcome the submission of original contributions that emphasize an integral perspective of journalism and media, and propose new perspectives on the role of the media in democratic transition processes in different countries and at different eras. This thematic dossier is focused on studies that address topics such as:
- The role of the media in democratic transition processes;
- The intervention of media professionals in the processes of democratic transition;
- Processes of democratic transition and media systems;
- The journalistic coverage of national and international events, and the resonance of those events in international media.
Taking into account the particular date that this issue celebrates, the editors also welcome the submission of scientific studies with a specific focus on topics related to the role and place of the media in the Portuguese democratic transition process following the 25th of April 1974 – including the following:
- Professionals in the press, radio and television (journalists, columnists, broadcasters, typesetters);
- Foreign correspondents and special envoys;
- Political cleansing or purging processes (saneamentos) in the media;
- New censorial processes;
- Portuguese media in the metropolis and in the overseas territories;
- Transformation of the regulation of the media sector.
Questions concerning the dynamics of the profession, the journalism companies and institutions, and journalism as a relevant actor in the historical processes under analysis are relevant areas for this issue.
Articles must be submitted by September 1, 2023, to be included in Mediapolis #18, referring to the first semester of 2024.
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: June 15, 2023
PUBLICATION: First semester of 2024
Figueira, J. (2007). Os jornais como actores políticos. Diário de Notícias, Expresso e Jornal Novo no Verão Quente de 1975. MinervaCoimbra.
Gomes, P. M. (2021). A imprensa na revolução. Os novos jornais e as lutas políticas de 1975. Imprensa Nacional.
Huntington, S. (1991), The third wave: Democratization in the late twentieth century. University of Oklahoma Press.
Kraus, K. (2018). Nesta grande época. Relógio d’Água.
