The “uses” of the theory in current’s communication research

Abstract

This paper presents the value of the construction of theories in the studies of the communicational system that emerged from the nineties and how the theory is put into practice in the most relevant theoretical frameworks in international research. First, we will observe how the context of international communication research has evolved from 1989 to the present. Second, we will describe how the value of theory in the times of neoliberalism is operationalized. And finally we will carry out a case study: the operationalization of the theory in the international research on framing. This study aims to observe (i) the uses of the theory in framing research, (ii) research topics, (iii) the operationalization of framing through (main) research techniques, and (iv) the operationalization of framing through (secondary) research techniques. To do this, we will analyze the papers published in the Journal of Communication during the period between 2009 and 2013. A specific content analysis has been designed for the observation of empirical research, and has been applied to a total of 50 original articles distributed in 26 issues of this journal.