This doctoral research aims to identify the extent to which, and under what conditions, media discourses across BRICS media systems are interconnected, thereby facilitating the development of a transnational public sphere. Research on transnational public spheres, which emerge within the broader context of global communication, is both essential and timely, particularly given the interdependencies shaped by contemporary global issues and governance structures. Scholars recognize the pivotal role of domestic media outlets—rather than international broadcasters or so-called “global media” like CNN—in fostering transnational public spheres. For instance, Couldry (2014) argues that analyzing how external forces contribute to the transnationalization of national contexts and discourses is both theoretically and empirically more precise. Transnational public spheres evolve through the transnationalization of national public spheres, a process driven by cross-border communication flows, particularly through foreign news coverage. Ideally, these transnational public spheres can, through global synchronization, coalesce into a truly global public sphere (Hafez & Grüne, 2022; Wessler & Brüggemann, 2012). While most research in this field focuses on the Global North, this study responds to calls for the de-westernization of transnational public sphere research by centering on BRICS countries.
The BRICS grouping advocates for a multipolar world order and has pursued increasing levels of institutionalization. Beyond its geopolitical role, BRICS provides a framework for examining media and communication dynamics in the Global South. Given this context, it is reasonable to assume that a confluence of geopolitical and news flow dynamics influences the degree of discursive interconnectedness among BRICS countries. To investigate this, the study conducts a quantitative, longitudinal content analysis of discursive articles published by leading newspapers in BRICS countries between 2011 and 2019. To assess the interconnectedness of media discourses across these five media systems, the study operationalizes specific indicators of transnationalization, including thematic and frame synchronization, exchange of ideas and arguments, geographical focus, and coverage of intergovernmental organizations. Additionally, to analyze the different levels and phases of interconnectedness among BRICS media systems, the study considers specific news values that shape the structure of foreign news coverage. To the best of my knowledge, no other study has adopted such a comprehensive research design to examine media discourses across BRICS countries. Overall, this research contributes to broader discussions on mediated communication flows in the Global South, offering insights into how contextual and event-specific factors shape foreign news coverage and influence the extent to which discursive synchronization and exchange occur.
Universität Erfurt (Campus)
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