Research interests

My research program is currently centered around incorporating comparative perspectives to the study of global political communication in the Global South. I do this in three areas. First, I study State-sponsored news and their impact on public opinion, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and Spanish-speaking South America. Second, I am interested in the connection new forms of mis- and disinformation, and public opinion towards global powers such as China. And, third, I use computational research methods to assess the impact that both State-sponsored news and disinformation are having on the news agenda of African digital media.

In previous research. I have explored the connections between politics, the news media and popular culture. My work in this area has been focused on East Asian countries (China, Japan and the Korean Peninsula). I have looked at the evolution of media systems in China and Japan, at the global circulation of East Asian popular culture and the changes brought about by new information technologies in the circulation of news and entertainment worldwide. In my doctoral thesis, I took a multidisciplinary perspective and multi-method approach in studying the presence of Chinese media in Kenya and South Africa.

Research areas

  • Global political communication
  • Disinformation
  • Journalism
  • International communication
  • Public diplomacy
  • East Asian popular culture
  • Computational text analysis

Ongoing research projects

  • Many Shades of State-Sponsored News: A Content Analysis of Chinese, Iranian and Russian International Broadcasting in Spanish.
  • Is “positive news”, news? The return of Chinese media to Africa and the impact on journalistic practice in Kenya and South Africa
  • China's Communication For Development in Africa - The Role of the Private Sector.
  • The effect of tourist visits to North Korea on attitudes towards the country
  • Becoming a Responsible Media Consumer in South Africa

Publications

Peer-reviewed journal articles

  • Madrid-Morales, D., Wasserman, H., & Ahmed, S. (forthcoming). The geopolitics of disinformation: worldviews, media consumption and the adoption of global strategic disinformation narratives. International Journal of Public Opinion Research, doi: 19331681.2022.2096743. https://doi.org/10.1093/ijpor/edad042. PDF - Full Paper (Accepted Version)
  • Ahmed, S., Madrid-Morales, D., Tully, M. (2022). Social media, misinformation, and age inequality in online political engagement. Journal of Information Technology & Politics. https://doi.org/10.1080/19331681.2022.2096743.
  • Tully, M., Madrid-Morales, D., Wasserman, H., Gondwe, G., Ireri, K. (2021). Who is responsible for stopping the spread of misinformation? Examining audience perceptions of responsibilities and responses in six sub-Saharan African countries. Digital Journalism. https://doi.org/10.1080/21670811.2021.1965491.
  • Madrid-Morales, D. (2021). Who Set the Narrative? Assessing the Influence of Chinese Global Media on News Coverage of COVID-19 in 30 African Countries. Global Media and China, 6(2), 129-151. doi: 10.1177/20594364211013714. PDF - Full Paper (Open Access)
  • Madrid-Morales, D., Wasserman, H., Gondwe, G., Ndlovu, K., Sikanku, E., Tully, M., Umejei, E., & Uzuegbunam, C. E. (2021). Motivations for Sharing Misinformation: A Comparative Study in Six Sub-Saharan African Countries. International Journal of Communication, 15, 1200–1219. PDF - Full Paper (Open Access)
  • Kobayashi, T., Miura, A., Madrid-Morales, D., & Shimizu, H. (2021). Why are Politically Active People Avoided in Countries with Collectivistic Culture? A Cross-Cultural Experiment. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 52(4), 388-405. https://doi.org/10.1177/00220221211008653.
  • Ahmed, S., & Madrid-Morales, D. (2021). Is it Still a Man’s World? Social Media News Use and Gender Inequality in Online Political Engagement. Information, Communication & Society, 24(3), 381–399. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2020.1851387.
  • Madrid-Morales, D. (2020). Using Computational Text Analysis Tools to Study African Online News Content. African Journalism Studies, 41(4), 68–82. https://doi.org/10.1080/23743670.2020.1820885.
  • Hernández, M., & Madrid-Morales, D.. Diversifying Voice, Democratizing the News? A Content Analysis of Citizen News Sources in Spanish-language International Broadcasting. Journalism Studies, 21(8), 1076–1092. https://doi.org/10.1080/1461670X.2020.1734857.
  • Kobayashi, T., Madrid-Morales, D., Asaba, Y., & Tago, A. (2019). Economic Downturns and Hardline Public Opinion. Social Science Quarterly, 101(1), 309–324. https://doi.org/10.1111/ssqu.12719.
  • Wasserman, H., & Madrid-Morales, D. (2019). An Exploratory Study of “Fake News” and Media Trust in Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa. African Journalism Studies. PDF - Pre-print paper (Coming soon)
  • Wasserman, H., & Madrid-Morales, D. (2018). How Influential Are Chinese Media in Africa? 
An Audience Analysis in Kenya and South Africa. International Journal of Communication, 12, 2212–2231. PDF - Full Paper (Open Access)
  • Madrid-Morales, D., & Gorfinkel, L. (2018). Narratives of Contemporary Africa on China Global Television Network’s Documentary Series Faces of Africa. Journal of Asian and African Studies https://doi.org/10.1177/0021909618762499. PDF - Pre-print Paper
  • Madrid-Morales, D., & Wasserman, H. (2018). Chinese media engagement in South Africa: what is its impact on local journalism? Journalism Studies, 9(8), 1218-1235 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1461670X.2016.1266280. PDF - Pre-print Paper
  • Madrid-Morales, D. (2017). La internacionalización de los medios de comunicación chinos: un estudio de la producción periodística en CGTN AFRICA Communication Papers, 6(11), 51-69. PDF - Full Paper (Open Access)
  • Madrid-Morales, D., & Lovric, B. (2015). "Transatlantic connection": K-pop and K-drama fandom in Spain and Latin America. The Journal of Fandom Studies, 3(1), 23–41. http://doi.org/10.1386/jfs.3.1.23_1. PDF - Pre-print Paper

Book chapters

  • Wasserman, H. & Madrid-Morales, D. (2022). The Messenger, the Message, and the Receiver: South African Government Communication During the COVID-19 Pandemic. In Maarek, P.J. (Ed.) Manufacturing Government Communication on Covid-19 (pp. 319-333). Cham: Springer. Publishers' Website PDF - Pre-print Text
  • Madrid-Morales, D. (2021). Sino-African Media Cooperation? An Overview of a Longstanding Asymmetric Relationship. In It’s about their story: How China, Turkey and Russia try to influence media in Africa (pp. 9–70). Johannesbrug: Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung. PDF - Open Acess
  • Madrid-Morales, D. (2017). Soft Power in the Living Room: A Survey of Television Drama on CCTV’s Foreign Language Channels. In P. Voci & L. Hui (Eds.), Screening China's Soft Power (pp. 38-55). London: Routledge. Publishers' Website PDF - Pre-print Text
  • Madrid-Morales, D. (2017). China's digital public diplomacy towards Africa: actors, messages and audiences. In K. Batchelor & X. Zhang (Eds.), China-Africa Relations: Building Images through Cultural Co-operation, Media Representation and Communication (pp. 129 - 146). London: Routledge. Publishers' Website PDF - Pre-print Text
  • Madrid-Morales, D. (2016). Why Are Chinese Media in Africa? Evidence from Three Decades of Xinhua's News Coverage of Africa. In X. Zhang, H. Wasserman, & W. Mano (Eds.), China's Media and Soft Power in Africa: Promotion and Perceptions (pp. 79–92). New York: Palgrave. PDF - Preview
  • Madrid-Morales, D. (2015). China's International Broadcasting and the Spanish Speaking World. In Q. Luo (Ed.), Global Media Worlds and China (pp. 187–203). Beijing: Communication University of China Press. PDF - Full Text
  • Madrid-Morales, D., & Martínez, G. (2010). Comunicación 2.0 en Asia: redes sociales, blogs y tecnología móvil. In Anuario Asia-Pacífico 2010 (pp. 295–304). Barcelona: CIDOB. PDF - Full Text
  • Madrid-Morales, D., & Martínez, G. (2010). La Ola Nipona: consumo de cultura popular japonesa en España. In P. San Guinés Aguilar (Ed.), Cruces de Miradas, Relaciones e Intercambios. (pp. 49-61). Granada: Editorial Universidad de Granada. PDF - Full Text

Books

  • Madrid-Morales, D., & Martínez, G. (2015). El manga y la animación japonesa. Barcelona: Editorial UOC. Google Books
  • Junqueras i Vies, O., Madrid-Morales, D., Martínez Taberner, G., & Pitarch Fernández, P. (2012). Historia de Japón: economía, política y sociedad. Barcelona: UOC. Google Books
  • Junqueras i Vies, O., Madrid-Morales, D., Martínez Taberner, G., & Pitarch Fernández, P. (2011). Història del Japó. Barcelona: UOC. Google Books
  • Madrid-Morales, D., & Martínez, G. (2010). El manga i l'animació japonesa. Barcelona: Editorial UOC. Google Books

Edited Books

Book reviews

Software

Datasets

Doctoral Dissertation

  • Madrid-Morales, D. (2018). African News with Chinese Characteristics: A Case Study of CGTN Africa [有中國特色的非洲新聞：中國環球電視網非洲分台的案例分析]. PhD Thesis. City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. PDF - Full Text

Conference activity

Academic conference papers

  • Madrid-Morales, D., Wasserman, H. & Uzuegbunam, C. (2022). Misinformation literacy at South African schools: A needs assessment. Presented at South African Communication Association's SACOMM 2022. Presentation in PDF
  • Madrid-Morales, D., & Hua, L. (2021). An Analysis of News Coverage of COVID-19 on Chinese TV Stations Aimed at African Audiences. Presented at International Communication Association Conference [Virtual Conference]. Presentation in PDF Video Recording
  • Madrid-Morales, D. (2021). Who Set the Narrative? Assessing the Influence of Chinese Media in News Coverage of COVID-19 in 30 African Countries. Presented at International Communication Association Conference [Virtual Conference]. Presentation in PDF Video Recording
  • Madrid-Morales, D. (2021). “Attitudes, Motivations and Responses: Comparative Disinformation Research on Audiences”. Presented at International Communication Association Conference [Virtual Conference]. Presentation in PDF
  • Wasserman, H. & Madrid-Morales, D. (2021). What Motivates the Sharing of Misinformation about China and Covid-19? A Study of Social Media Users in Kenya and South Africa. Presented at Narratives of COVID-19 in China and the World: Technology, Society, and Nations Symposium organized by the Center on Digital Culture and Society, University of Pennsylvania. Presentation in PDF Draft Paper - PDF
  • Madrid-Morales, D. & Wasserman, H. (2020). An Audience Analysis of China’s External Communication Activities in Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa. Presented at China's External Communication and Relationship Building in the 21st Century Conference organized by the University of Nottingham Ningbo China. Presentation in PDF Video Recording
  • Madrid-Morales, D. (2020). Chinese media in Africa, 1955-1999: an overview of an enduring asymmetric relationship. Presented at China's External Communication and Relationship Building in the 21st Century Conference organized by the University of Nottingham Ningbo China. Presentation in PDF Video Recording
  • Ahmed, S., Madrid-Morales, D. & Tully, M. (2020). Online Political Engagement, Fake News Exposure, and Fake News Sharing in Sub- Saharan Africa at Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Annual Conference (AEJMC) [Virtual Conference]. Top 3 Faculty Paper Award Political Communication Division.
  • Hernández, M. & Madrid-Morales, D. (2020). The vox-pop, the victim and the active citizen: A Content Analysis of Citizen Sources in Non-Western International Broadcasting in Spanish. Presented at Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Annual Conference (AEJMC) [Virtual Conference].
  • Madrid-Morales, D., Wasserman, H., Ndlovu, K., Tully, M., Umejei E. & Uzuegbunam, C. (2020). Audience Motivations for Sharing Dis- and Misinformation: A Comparative Study in Five Sub-Saharan African Countries. Presented at International Communication Association Conference [Virtual Conference]. Presentation in PDF
  • Ahmed, S. & Madrid-Morales, D. (2020). Social Media News Use and Gender Inequality in Online Political Engagement: A Cross-National Comparative Analysis. Presented at International Communication Association Conference [Virtual Conference]. Presentation in PDF
  • Ahmed, S., Madrid-Morales, D., & Tully, M. (2020). Can Lies Mobilize? Social Media, Fake News, and Age Inequality in Online Political Engagement. Presented at International Communication Association Conference [Virtual Conference].
  • Hernández, M. & Madrid-Morales, D. (2020). Diversifying News, Alternative Voices? A Content Analysis of News Citizen Sources of International Broadcasters in Spanish. Presented at International Communication Association Conference [Virtual Conference].
  • Madrid-Morales, D., Wassermman, H., Mare, A., Ndlovu, K., Tully, M., Umejei E. & Uzuegbunam, C. (2019). Audience Motivations for Sharing Dis- and Misinformation: A Comparative Study in Five Sub-Saharan African Countries. Presented at Comparative Approaches to Disinformation, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA (USA). Presentation in PDF
  • Madrid-Morales, D. (2019). Africa in the News: Is News Coverage by Chinese Media Any Different?. Presented at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) Annual Conference, Toronto. Top 3 Faculty Paper Award International Communication Division & African Journalism Studies Best Paper Award. Presentation in PDF PDF - Draft Manuscript
  • Madrid-Morales, D. A Computational Approach to the Study of Representations of Japan in the Spanish Press Between 1976 and 2016. Presented at the International Convention of Asian Scholars (ICAS 11), Leiden Presentation in PDF
  • Madrid-Morales, D. Chinese Media in the Global South: A Historical Overview of an Enduring Asymmetric Relationship. Presented at the International Communication Association (ICA) Annual Conference, Washington, DC. Presentation in PDF
  • Wasserman, H., & Madrid-Morales, D. (2019). "Fake News", Disinformation and Media Trust in Africa: A Comparative Study of Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa. Presented at the International Communication Association (ICA) Annual Conference, Washington, DC. Presentation in PDF
  • Kobayashi, T., Miura, A., & Madrid-Morales, D. (2019). Why Are Politically Active People Avoided in Countries with Collectivistic Cultures? A Cross-Cultural Experiment in Nine Countries/Regions. Presented at the International Communication Association (ICA) Annual Conference, Washington, DC.
  • Madrid-Morales, D., Hernández, M., & Morales, P. (2019). Many Shades of State-Sponsored News: A Content Analysis of Chinese, Iranian and Russian International Broadcasting in Spanish. Presented at the International Communication Association (ICA) Annual Conference, Washington, DC. Presentation in PDF
  • Madrid-Morales, D. (2019). The Belt and Road Initiative in global media: Comparing news coverage in 28 nations. Presented at the The Belt and Road Initiative and its Impact on Africa Conference at the University of Florida, Gainesville, FL. Presentation in PDF
  • Madrid-Morales, D. (2019). Is positive news, news at all? The return of Chinese media to Africa and the impact on news values in Kenya and South Africa. Presented at the What’s (the) News? Values, Viruses and Vectors of Newsworthiness Conference, Brussels Presentation in PDF
  • Madrid-Morales, D. (2018). News Coverage of Africa: A Big Data Approach Comparing Chinese and Non-Chinese Media. Presented at ICAfrica 2018, International Communication Association Regional Conference, Accra. Presentation in PDF
  • Wasserman, H., & Madrid-Morales, D. (2018). ‘Fake News’, Disinformation and Media Trust in Africa: A Comparative Study of Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa. Presented at ICAfrica 2018, International Communication Association Regional Conference, Accra. Presentation in PDF
  • Kobayashi, T., Miura, A., Madrid-Morales, D., & Cao B. (2018). Why are Politically Active People Avoided in East Asia? A Cross-Regional Experiment. Presented at the International Communication Association (ICA) Annual Conference, Prague.
  • Madrid-Morales, D. (2017). Mapping Out China’s Online Public Diplomacy. Presented at the International Communication Association (ICA) Annual Conference, San Diego. Presentation in PDF
  • Madrid-Morales, D. (2017). Chinese Media Overtures in Africa — What Role for Communication for Development. Presented at the International Communication Association (ICA) Annual Conference, San Diego. Presentation in PDF
  • Madrid-Morales, D., & Wasserman, H. (2016). Chinese media engagement in South Africa: what is its impact on local journalism?. Presented at ICAfrica 2016, International Communication Association Regional Conference, Nairobi. Presentation in PDF
  • Madrid-Morales, D., & Cao, B. (2016). Direct and Mediated Intercultural Contact: A Study of Attitudes Towards North Korea. Presented at the International Communication Association Annual Conference, Fukuoka. Presentation in PDF
  • Madrid-Morales, D. (2016). La llegada de la animación japonesa a España: una perspectiva intercultural. Presented at the Foro Español Investigación Asia-Pacífico (FEIAP), Barcelona Presentation in PDF
  • Madrid-Morales, D. (2016). Winning hearts and minds over the Internet: China's digital diplomacy in Africa. Presented at the Association for Asian Studies Annual Conference, Seattle Presentation in PDF
  • Madrid-Morales, D. (2016). China's online public diplomacy in Africa: structure, images and discursive practices. Presented at the Building Images: Exploring 21st Century Sino-African dynamics through cultural exchange, media representation, and translation Conference, Nottingham Presentation in PDF Conference Audio
  • Madrid-Morales, D., & Lovric, B. (2015). Hallyu goes to (Latin) America: a survey of K-pop and K-drama fandom in Spanish speaking countries. Presented at the International Convention of Asian Scholars (ICAS 9), Adelaide Presentation in PDF
  • Madrid-Morales, D., & Wasserman, H. (2015). Chinese media in South Africa: attitudes and awareness amongst media practitioners. Presented at the International Round Table Conference on China-Africa Communications, Beijing Presentation in PDF
  • Madrid-Morales, D., & Hernández, M. (2015). Neutrality, perspective and framing: a content analysis of news in international broadcasting in Spanish. Presented at the International Association of Mass Communication Research (IAMCR) Conference, Montreal Presentation in PDF
  • Madrid-Morales, D. (2015). Structure and agency in the newsroom: incorporating structuration theory into the sociology of news. Presented at the International Association of Mass Communication Research (IAMCR) Conference, Montreal Presentation in PDF
  • Madrid-Morales, D. (2015). Why are Chinese media in Africa? Evidence from Xinhua's news coverage of Africa in 1982 and 2012. Presented at the International Symposium "China"s Soft Power in Africa: emerging media and cultural relations between China and Africa', Ningbo Presentation in PDF
  • Madrid-Morales, D., & Zeng, Y. (2014). News coverage of GM food in three developing economies: a comparison of Brazilian, Chinese and Indian newspapers. Presented at the International Association of Mass Communication Research (IAMCR) Conference, Hyderabad Presentation in PDF
  • Madrid-Morales, D., & Hernández, M. (2014). Global television news in Spanish: a comparison of news content on CCTV-E, RT and HispanTV. Presented at the China's Media Go Global Conference, Beijing Presentation in PDF
  • Madrid-Morales, D. (2014). Exercising soft power in the living room: television drama in CCTV's foreign language channels. Presented at the New European Research on China Conference, Beijing Presentation in PDF
  • Madrid-Morales, D. (2013). "According to sources…": The use of sources in reporting China in the European press. Presented at the International Convention of Asian Scholars (ICAS 8), Macao Presentation in PDF
  • Madrid-Morales, D. (2011). Welcome To "OCCIDENT": Representations Of Western Europe In Takao Saito's Golgo 13. Presented at the Congreso Itinerarios, Viajes y contactos Japón-Europa, Valladolid Presentation in PDF
  • Madrid-Morales, D. (2011). China's International Broadcasting and the Spanish-speaking World. Presented at the Global Media Worlds and China International Conference, Uppsala Presentation in PDF PDF - Draft Paper
  • Madrid-Morales, D. (2011). CCTV-E o la televisión en español desde China: Contenidos y audiencias. Presented at the Congreso Iberoamericano de Estudios Chinos, Barcelona Presentation in PDF
  • Madrid-Morales, D. (2009). La construcción de un marco teórico dentro de un curso de introducción a la lengua japonesa: el caso de la Universitat Oberta de Catalunya. Presented at the I Simposio sobre la enseñanza de la lengua japonesa en España, Salamanca Presentation in PDF

Academic conference posters

Invited talks

  • ESTIUS UB
  • Planeta Manga: afinidades y desencuentros entre China y Japón [Planet Manga: affinities and disagreements between China and Japan] at XVIII Saló del Manga on November 1, 2012 in Barcelona (Spain) Presentation in PDF
  • Ulls rodons i pèls de punta: claus per entendre el fenomen del manga i l'anime [Round eyes and spiked hair: key concepts to understand manga and anime] at Biblioteca Sofia Barat on February 16, 2012 in Barcelona (Spain) Presentation in PDF
  • El desembarco del anime en España: un viaje visual y sonoro por la historia de la animación japonesa [Anime in Spain: a journey through the images and sounds of Japanese animation] at XVII Saló del Manga on November 1, 2011 in Barcelona (Spain) Presentation in PDF
  • Periodisme en una crisi: El terratrèmol del Japó [Crisis journalism: covering the 2011 Earthquake in Japan] at Media140 Barcelona on May 9, 2011 in Barcelona (Spain) Conference recording Media coverage Media interview


  • Ulls rodons i pèls de punta: claus per entendre el fenomen del manga i l'anime [Round eyes and spiked hair: key concepts to understand manga and anime] at Biblioteca Guinardó Mercè Rodoreda on April 7, 2012 in Barcelona (Spain) Presentation in PDF
  • D'Astroboy a Utada Hikaru. Una panoràmica sobre la cultura popular japonesa actual [From Astroboy to Utada Hikaru. An overview of contemporary Japanese culture] at Universitat Oberta de Catalunya on March 6, 2010 in Barcelona (Spain) Presentation in PDF Conference recording


Draft papers and PDF versions of presentations and posters are provided for reference, but they are not meant to be used for citation. If you would like to have a copy of any of my works, please contact me and I will be happy to make one available to you.