Publications, Media & Presentations

…a great introduction to the mediatization of politics, with lessons that apply broadly to the role of the media within contemporary politics.    — Michael Cole, Distinguished University Professor Emeritus of Communication & Psychology, University of California San Diego

…the analysis is rigorous and free… this well-informed and illuminating study deserves to be read by both specialists and the general public.    — Jaime Concha, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Latin American Literature,  University of California San Diego

…Simón Salazar’s well-researched and deeply thoughtful book is a landmark in our understanding of media’s role in Latin American politics and an important contribution to debates on mediatization globally. Highly recommended!    — Nick Couldry, Professor of Media, Communications and Social Theory, London School of Economics and Political Science and author of Media, Society, World: Social Theory and Digital Media Practice

…a rich and complex account… rooted in a deep knowledge of the Chilean political context. For anyone interested in the ‘mediatization’ of politics, Simón Salazar’s exploration of the Chilean plebiscite is a rich source of insight.    — Daniel C. Hallin, Distinguished Professor of Communication, University of California San Diego

…theoretically sophisticated, historically informed, and politically compelling, this study is a must-read for those interested in Chilean history and culture, media studies, human rights, cultural studies, and especially for activists in Chile and beyond interested in understanding the relationship between media and political transformations.    — Luis Martín-Cabrera, Associate Professor of Spanish and Latin American Cultural Studies, University of California San Diego

…a fascinating analysis… This study is a must-read for those interested in politics, democracy, and social justice.    — Nancy Postero, Professor of Anthropology,  University of California San Diego

…a nuanced, learned, and meticulous analysis… [that] combines state-of-the-art theorizing about the dynamics of mediated politics and a granular examination of electoral communication… a must-read for Latin American scholars and communication researchers interested in the troubling consequences of mediatization.    — Silvio Waisbord, Professor of Media and Public Affairs, George Washington University

Simón Salazar, H. (2018). Television, Democracy, and the Mediatization of Chilean Politics.
Lanham, MD: Lexington Books/Rowman & Littlefield.

“Abstract: The current pandemic-imposed reliance on media-centered forms of civic engagement underscores the need for empirical mediatization research on the relationship between media, partisan conflict, and political culture. Drawing from critical Latin American media scholarship, mediatization theory, and Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT), this article proposes a framework for comparative political communication research that centers on media practices and sociocultural change. By analyzing how a 1988 political advertising campaign in dictatorial Chile instantiated a peculiar vision of democratic transition, this article provides an examination of the disjuncture between televised representations of cheerful political reconciliation and abominable human rights abuses as the initial stage in the mediatization of Chilean human rights memory (HRM).

Simón Salazar, H. (2020). The Mediatization of Human Rights Memory in Chile. Communication Theory, 30(2020), 429-448.

“Abstract: The political communication of the Chicana/o student movement of the 1960s and 1970s took place primarily through various forms of print media, with campus-based student newspapers figuring prominently within that particular historical moment. At their peak, at least 48 Chicana/o student newspapers were produced on campuses throughout the country, marking these publications as both the principal and ideal format through which the flow of cultural and political information was channeled between movement publics, both on and off college campuses. Yet, the history of these publications has not been thoroughly documented, nor has the discursive legacy of this form of communicative resistance been fully examined. This paper provides a brief history of the emergence and significance of these student newspapers on campuses across the United States, focusing on how campus activists established this form of community media to help advocate on behalf of Chicana/o students and their broader publics.”

Simón Salazar, H. (2019). Movimiento Voices On Campus: The Newspapers of the Chicana/o Student Movement. Journal of Alternative & Community Media, 4(3), 56-70.

“Community Print Media and Photography of the Chicana/o Movement.”

“An indispensable resource for students investigating social and political activism, this book provides an overview of the major trends and influences of the Chicano/Chicana Movement… The impact of the Chicano/Chicana Movement on today’s America can be seen in the halls of power, in educational access and equity, and in the positive self-image among Chicanos and Chicanas. It is also reflected in visual arts, theater, music, and dance. This book provides students investigating Mexican-American or Chicano/Chicana-Latino/Latina social and political activism and social justice advocacy with an overview of the major trends and influences of the Chicano/Chicana Movement during the highly volatile 1960s and 1970s…”