MSCA PF 2026 hosting in Transnational History of Women War Correspondents

The ESCUR Research Group investigates the role of war correspondents from a historical, transnational and gender‑sensitive perspective, fully aligned with research priorities and programmes funded by the European Union. Building on extensive work on Spain's nineteenth‑century civil wars, particularly the First Carlist War, where the modern concept of the foreign correspondent took shape. The group has broadened its scope to include the independence movements of the American viceroyalties under Ferdinand VII, the Second and Third Carlist Wars, and conflicts of the Revolutionary Six‑Year Period (1868–1874), such as the Cuban War in the wider European context of imperialism. Results from this research have been published by internationally recognised academic presses.

The group has contributed to defining new analytical parameters for understanding the journalistic profession, documenting milestones such as the emergence of photojournalism, and placing particular emphasis on the role of female correspondents and their impact on European journalistic cultures. The combined approach strengthens the project’s alignment with the EU’s agenda on equality, memory, and cultural citizenship, and encourages knowledge transfer to non‑academic audiences.

The supervisor, Cristina Barreiro Gordillo holds a PhD in Journalism and is a lecturer in the History of Journalism and Contemporary Spanish History, with a solid and well‑established research trajectory. A specialist in Spanish press culture of the 1930s and 1940s, her work has decisively advanced our understanding of media networks and political culture during the Second Spanish Republic. Her monographs on Carlism and monarchist press have become essential references for scholars of this period and have received distinctions such as the Special Mention of the Luis Hernando de Larramendi International Prize for the History of Carlism. She is also an active reviewer for high‑profile publications such as Hispania Sacra (CSIC) and Contemporary European History. Her academic path is marked by strong international engagement, with research stays and visiting lectureships in Warsaw, Toulouse, Paris and Lisbon.

The project investigates the role of women war correspondents who covered conflicts involving Spain throughout the twentieth century. Based on extensive research in major European newspaper archives and digital repositories, it aims to identify these journalists, reconstruct their careers and map the networks that connected them across countries. By recovering lesser‑known European reporters and analysing their work, from the Rif War to later international crises such as the Second World War, the Cold War or the Hungarian Revolution. The project will trace how their voices circulated across Europe and contributed to shaping journalistic practices and public narratives. Ultimately, it explores whether a distinct female perspective on war reporting emerged and how these contributions influenced Spain’s media landscape and broader processes of European social and cultural change.

Candidate requirements: Dynamic postdoctoral candidates of any nationality (max. 8 years after defense) with:

• A PhD in History, Humanities, Journalism, or Social Sciences

• Digital competencies (ArcGIS Online, SPSS, WGS84-World Geodetic System datum, etc.)

• An interest in the study of the history of journalism, armed conflicts, and women in the contemporary era

Applicants are encouraged to submit an expression of interest to cbarreiro@ceu.es with: 

• A short CV (Max. 2 pages)

• A one-page research proposal

• Two letters of reference (recommended) 

USP‑CEU is a competitive and supportive host institution for MSCA‑PF candidates, with a strong track record including 10 awarded fellowships, an exceptional 100/100 score, and two recent successes in the MSCA‑PF 2025 call. We offer personalised guidance throughout the proposal preparation process, as well as our International Talent Retention Programme, which provides successful MSCA Fellows with an additional 6–12‑month contract to support long‑term career development.

https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/hosting/msca-postdoctoral-hosting-transnational-history-women-war-correspondents