Born in Reus (Catalonia, Spain) in 1988. When I was ending High School I realized Journalism & Communication were my passion. Once at college, the curiosity for knowing and learning about everything turned into an academic vocation. And here we are!
Serra Húnter Fellow at Universitat Rovira i Virgili
The obtention of a Martí Franquès doctoral fellowship in 2012 allowed me to become part of ASTERISC. Communication Research Group (recognized as a consolidated research group by the Government of Catalonia – 2014SGR-669 / 2017SGR -360) and to join a team of researchers that work on different lines in the field of strategic communication and cultural studies. Whereas I started collaborating in some research projects in the field of gender studies and health communication, I soon decided to direct my research towards the study of public opinion and political communication.
This has led me to develop my academic career oriented to two lines of research related to this thematic area: (1) the way actors participating in the public sphere use language for promoting their ideological positions on conflictive issues, paying special attention to the use of metaphor, and (2) the way power relations between these actors are articulated in the virtual public sphere and the extent to which the characteristics of the 2.0 environment promote the construction of a public opinion based on deliberation. The interest to investigate these questions arises from the approach of my doctoral thesis in 2013. The thesis, entitled Claiming independence in 140 characters. Uses of Metaphor in Scottish and Catalan political actors discourses on Twitter (2016), was awarded distinction Cum Laude and did also obtain the Special Doctoral Prize in the field of Anthropology and Communication, as well as being finalist in the II Prize to the best doctoral thesis on Political Communication awarded by the Political Communication Association (ACOP). The study was also framed under the project “The role of metaphor in the definition and social perception of conflictive issues. Institutions, media, and citizens (CSO2013-4166-P)” (Project Manager: Arantxa Capdevila).
Since July 2020, I am working as a Principal Editor for the indexed journal Catalan Journal of Communication and Cultural Studies, published by Intellect Ltd, and specialised in publishing research and scholarship on the analysis of media and culture.
Academic formation
Degree program: Advertising and Public Relations (2011) Journalism (2012)
Phd Program Anthropology and Communication (2016)
Postgraduate program: MSc in Strategic Communication in the Risk Society (2013)
Research stays
Postdoctorate | Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Faculty of Social Sciences. Department of Communication Science
Doctorate | The University of Edinburgh. School of Social and Political Sciences. Academy of Government
Former Scientific Activities
Postdoctoral Researcher (2016 – 2020)
Dept. of Communication Studies | Faculty of Arts, Universitat Rovira i Virgili
Teaching Fellow
(2019 – 2020)
Escola Superior de Relacions Públiques | Universitat de Barcelona
Martí-Franquès Research Fellow
(2012 – 2016)
Dept. of Communication Studies | Faculty of Arts, Universitat Rovira i Virgili
Fellow for teaching and research learning for undergraduate, master’s and doctoral students
(2012) Dept. of Basic Medical Sciences | Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitat Rovira i Virgili
Asterisc. Communication Research Group – Scholarship Assistant
(2011-2012)
Dept. of Communication Studies | Faculty of Arts, Universitat Rovira i Virgili
Fellow for teaching and research learning for undergraduate, master’s and doctoral students
(2010-2011) Dean’s office | Faculty of Arts, Universitat Rovira i Virgili
Carlota M. Moragas-Fernández 