Our research

Journalism research at Södertörn University has a strong connection to both the professional field and social science research. It revolves around two broad focus areas:

• Journalism and Media Development

This research explores journalistic roles, work processes, and forms of expression across different news organizations and platforms. It includes studies on data journalism, interactive storytelling, and fact-checking, as well as questions about how new technologies such as AI affect journalistic ethics and practice. Research is also conducted on narrative techniques in reportage and nonfiction, and on how news images are produced and interpreted—from visual truths in editorial environments to the audience’s ability to distinguish authentic photographs from AI-generated images.

• Journalism and Society

This area examines journalism’s democratic function and its significance in public debate, politics, and culture. Research covers relationships between journalists and social actors, the role of local journalism in socioeconomically vulnerable areas, and how citizens engage through new media forms. It also includes studies of journalism’s role in climate change and environmental conflicts, as well as how international conflicts are “domesticated” within national media systems.

Ongoing journalism research is regularly presented at advanced seminars in journalism, featuring work from Södertörn University and other universities. To see the program, check the calendar on Södertörn University’s website.

Some of the journalism research produced at Södertörn University is published in the subject’s own report series. External link. Researchers also publish their work in international journals and books. These can be found most easily under each researcher’s profile via the website’s search function or on the journalism staff page.