Catarina Castro e Melo

PhD candidate in Communication Sciences at the Institute of Social Sciences of the University of Minho and researcher at the Centre for Communication and Society Studies (CECS), my research focuses on the role of journalism in shaping public perceptions of human rights, with particular attention to media coverage of the refugee crisis, narrative frames, and the role of emotion in news discourse.
My work develops at the intersection of academic research and professional practice, examining communication as a field of public responsibility, meaning-making, and democratic trust-building. Alongside my academic trajectory, I have developed a consolidated professional background in strategic communication, planning, crisis communication, institutional reputation, and media relations, with experience across different sectors of the public and institutional sphere.