Communication and Epistemological Struggle: An Approach to the History of the Field and the Dialogue between Political Economy and Decolonial Studies

Abstract

This article examines the historical development of communication studies in Latin America through the trajectory of the Latin American Association of Communication Researchers (ALAIC) and the evolution of critical communication thought in the region. It identifies four major stages in the field’s development, from communication and development studies and cultural imperialism theories to Latin American cultural studies and contemporary debates surrounding the political economy of communication. The article argues that current transformations in global capitalism, digital platforms, and geopolitical tensions have reopened the need for a renewed epistemological project capable of articulating critical perspectives across the field. Particular attention is devoted to the Political Economy of Communication (PEC) and its institutional consolidation in Latin America, as well as to the emergence of Decolonial Studies as a significant intellectual force. Rather than treating these traditions as mutually exclusive, the article proposes a dialogue between Marxist political economy and decolonial thought, drawing especially on the work of Enrique Dussel. It concludes that the epistemological struggle in communication research today requires interdisciplinary collaboration capable of confronting technological determinism, epistemic coloniality, and contemporary forms of capitalist domination while strengthening Latin American critical thought and its international projection.