Dissemination

Jorge Santos honoured in public doctoral examinations with thesis on gender equality in sport

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On 8 July 2025, Jorge Santos, researcher at CIAC – Research Centre for Arts and Communication, successfully defended his doctoral thesis entitled “Gender Equality in Sport through Activist Exhibition Curatorship: the Digital Media-Art Project Paralelo 3”, within the PhD Programme in Digital Media-Art at the University of Algarve.

The research was approved with the final classification of Very Good with distinction and honours, before the examination committee. The thesis starts from the issue of gender inequalities in sport to explore how activist curatorship, combined with digital media art, can contribute to awareness and social change. Through the exhibition Mulheres no Desporto – Pioneirismo, Desafios, Inspiração, Igualdade, presented at the Museu Nacional do Desporto, Jorge Santos proposes a curatorial model that integrates transmedia narratives, artistic expression, and digital technology, promoting immersive and educational experiences.

The exhibition, developed within the project Paralelo 3 – Artivismo ao Cubo, constitutes the case study of this research, demonstrating how the fusion between fiction and reality can enhance public engagement and deepen reflection on urgent social issues. Through a qualitative and participatory approach, the author documents the entire exhibition process in a Digital Logbook, complemented by surveys and direct observation of visitors’ interactions with the digital artworks.

The research stands out for its social relevance and methodological originality, combining curatorship, art, and activism in the promotion of gender equality in sport, while reinforcing the role of museums as agents of social transformation.

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