Laura Amigo

Laura Amigo is a postdoctoral researcher with the Institute of Media and Journalism (IMeG) at Università della Svizzera italiana. She is also an associate lecturer in communications with the InfoCom Department at the University of Lille, France.

Her work draws on concepts and theories of communication sciences to examine the digital transformation of journalism. This has led her to develop three complementary areas of research. First, the transformation of journalistic practices and news organizations, with the aim of better understanding the social implications of digital technologies such as social media platforms and artificial intelligence. Second, the evolving information practices, to better understand how people make sense of news and journalism as a social institution. Third, the relation between news media and audiences with a particular focus on participatory forms of journalism, seeking to understand how social ties can be woven in an increasing fragmented and polarized society.

She has collaborated in national and European research projects addressing these topics, which have received funding from institutions such as the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), the French National Research Agency (ANR) and the European Union (EU). Recently, she led a research project evaluating the relevance of journalism based on scientific literature from the past decade (2013–2023), commissioned by Swiss Federal Media Commission (COFEM), and she conducted research financed by the Initiative for Media Innovation (IMI), assessing how news media in Switzerland and abroad engage with virtual worlds. Laura Amigo is currently a researcher with the EU Horizon 2020 project "Diacomet," where she studies ethical issues in public communication, with a particular focus on the impact of artificial intelligence.

Her research has been published in edited volumes and journals such as Digital Journalism, Journalism Studies, Journalism, Mots. Les langages du politique, Les cahiers du journalisme, and Réseaux. To date, she has given about 50 talks at conferences, workshops, and seminars, and has taught and given invited lectures at various universities including USI, the University of Neuchâtel, Université libre de Bruxelles, Université Paris Panthéon-Assas, UPEM, Université de Lille, and Université Sorbonne-Nouvelle.

Laura Amigo has received the qualification for the role of assistant professor in information and communication sciences by the French National Council of Universities (CNU). She holds a PhD in journalism and communications from the University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland. She earned a Master's degree in communications from the University of UMLV (magna cum laude), France, a Master's degree (maîtrise) in law and political science (magna cum laude) from the University of Nice, France, and a Bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Lyon 3 (cum laude), France.

Laura Amigo is a member of ECREA and the Swiss Association of Communication and Media Research.