J-MagLab is the first scientific structure to bring Journalism Studies and Magazine Studies together. It is part of CICANT, a research centre from Lusófona University, which focuses on applied research, dissemination, and knowledge transfer to the community.
J-MagLab is coordinated by CICANT integrated researchers Carla Rodrigues Cardoso, Ana Figueiras, and Ilo Alexandre. Although officially established in 2026, its origins date back to 2022, when MagLab - Magazine Media Lab, the world's first international research lab dedicated to Magazine Studies, was founded.
As a result of the evolution of research work within MagLab, which included the creation of the concept of Interconnected Journalism, inspired by the ability of magazines to create communities, the field of journalism was integrated, and thus J-MagLab was born.
Within Journalism Studies, J-MagLab focuses on alternative and innovative areas of research that contribute to the long-term development of the field beyond the transient trends that often dominate scholarly attention while overshadowing foundational issues, such as Journalism Education.
At the same time, J-MagLab remains firmly committed to the aggregation, consolidation and development of Magazine Studies as an independent field of study. The Future of Magazine biennial conference, established in 2023, and the International Journal of Magazine Studies, launched in 2024, continue as flagship initiatives within J-MagLab.
Magazine Journalism, situated at the intersection of the Lab's two core fields of research, will serve as a collaborative space that fosters dialogue and cooperation between Journalism Studies and Magazine Studies researchers.
