From deadly precariousness to collaborative innovation: a systematic review of investigative journalism in Latin America (2000–2025)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26441/RC25.2-2026-4591Keywords:
Investigative Journalism, Latin America, Systematic review, Prisma2020Abstract
Purpose. Investigative journalism in Latin America is practiced in a context marked by lethal violence, lawfare, and precarious working conditions that threaten its survival and its democratic role. This systematic review integrates, for the first time, a SWOT analysis, a multidimensional systematization of challenges, and an examination of best practices to strengthen its viability. Methodology. Following the PRISMA 2020 protocol, a search was conducted in WoS and Scopus (2000-2025), yielding a final corpus of 23 peer-reviewed empirical studies. The MMAT was applied to assess methodological quality, and an inductive-deductive thematic analysis was used to synthesize the data. Results and conclusions. The SWOT analysis identifies resilience and cross-border collaboration as strengths, set against structural threats and economic weaknesses. Technical and ethical challenges intertwine with violence and dependence on foreign funding. Best practices highlight comprehensive security, data-narrative hybridization, and alliances. The evidence points to a shift from the lone-reporter model toward collective, networked resilience. Without institutional sustainability, however, the field risks its capacity for democratic accountability. Original contributions. This is one of the first PRISMA-compliant reviews to articulate an integrated SWOT-challenges-best-practices framework, generating actionable evidence for protection policies, autonomous funding models, and resilience strategies in the region.
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Anexos
Anexo 1: Protocolo completo utilizado para la revisión: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.31742713
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