About the lecture - Overview of anti-press violence in Mexico: causes and consequences 

Mexico has become one the most dangerous places in the world for journalists. The constant aggressions they face have eroded the practice of free journalism and, thus, the people’s right to know. This situation has at least two causes: on one hand, there are inherent risks associated with the practice of journalism, such as adopting a watchdog role and, hence, keeping authorities and powerful groups accountable. On the other hand, however, those risks become extremely dangerous in a context of a defective democracy with high levels of structural violence, clientelism, and collusion between government and de facto powers. In addition, anti-press violence has a threefold impact at the individual, organizational, and societal level.  

About the lecture - Professional journalism: conceptual problems and empirical analysis 

In spite of its common use, professionalism is not a self-explanatory concept in the field of journalism studies. Even though there is an extensive literature on this issue, what its basic elements are and how they can be assessed are still subject of debate. In order to contribute to this discussion, the presentation proposes a conceptual model that integrates four categories: routines, orientation, autonomy and training. The proposal made here builds on previous knowledge, and attempts to strengthen the problematization of this topic.  

About the speaker 

Journalist and scholar Rubén Arnoldo González has a PhD in communication studies from the University of Leeds. He has been reporter and editor of the newspaper La Voz de Michoacán. He is currently a professor at the Institute of Government Sciences and Strategic Development (Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Mexico), where he chairs the Centre for Political Communication Studies.