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Despite the increasing volume of research addressing the relevance of de-Westernizing Media Studies, we lack a comparative evaluation of the performance of Global South universities regarding their presence in the most prestigious domains within the field of Communication. Against this background, the article explores if and to what extent the publication of articles authored by BRICS-based scholars in top-ranked journals is restricted to a handful of academic institutions – making them a national “elite” authorized to engage in the mainstream intellectual debate.

Considering the claims for "de-Westernizing" Communication and Media studies, we examine the publication trends of BRICS-based researchers between 2012 and 2021. The article compares SciVal and SJR data concerning 7,938 articles to understand the circulation of such academic communities in top-ranked outlets. The results reveal a remarkable productivity growth in all BRICS countries, striking differences within the group in the number of research articles, the emergence of China as the bloc's leading hub, and the lack of cooperation among such five countries. We also discuss and criticize how the "de-Westernization" agenda may eventually become another category domesticated by the Global North. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]