93539 - Information and Political Analisys Laboratory (LM)

Learning outcomes

The workshop aims to provide the methodological tools for analysing the way different ideological and cultural constellations are presented within modern and contemporary media production. master the methodologies for analysing public and political language and their historical significance know the editorial lines of the most important global information media; can analyse the historical-political meaning of information vocabulary; can apply the acquired knowledge to the media; can analyse and understand the ideological and political effect of information flow.

Course contents

This year's workshop aims to analyse and deepen the public and political discourse around climate change. In the first part of the workshop, the ecological discourse will be critically reconstructed with a focus on the following themes:

1. What nature means
2. Ecology and capitalism
3. Environmental policies
4. Environmental disasters and catastrophes
5. What is political ecology
6. Ecology as activism
7. The environment as a transnational problem
8. Is ecology a science?
9. The Ecological State
10. Ecological transitions

In the second part, the way in which the national and international press - both in news and commentary - describes and analyses the environmental issue in its social and political implications will be analysed.

Readings/Bibliography

Reference bibliography for the first part:

R. Keucheyan, La natura è un campo di battaglia. Saggio di ecologia politica, Verona, Ombre corte, 2019.

G. Mann - j. Wainright, Il nuovo Leviatano. Una filosofia politica del cambiamento climatico, Roma, Treccani, 2012.

B. Latour, La sfida di Gaia. Il nuovo regime climatico, Milano, Meltemi, 2020.

P. Missiroli, Teoria critica dell'antropocene. Vivere dopo la terra, vivere nella terra, Milano, Mimesis, 2022.

J.N. Bergamo, Marxismo ed ecologia. Origine e sviluppo di un dibattito globale, Verona, Ombre Corte, 2022.

The most important sources for the second part are: Il Corriere della sera, La Repubblica, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Time, Politico.com, The Wall Street Journal, Harper's Magazine, The Economist, The Guardian, The Financial Times, Le Monde, Le Figaro, Le Monde Diplomatique, Die Süddeutsche Zeitung, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Die Zeit, El Pais.

 

Teaching methods

Lectures and seminar work on the different sources used

Assessment methods

Given the seminar nature of the workshop, attendance is strongly recommended.


1) Attending students agree with the lecturer on a topic from among those covered during the lectures and the relevant bibliography. They can then choose whether to present a paper during the last lecture or to write a paper of at least 2500 words.


2) Non-attending students must agree with the lecturer during the reception (via Teams or in person) or by e-mail on the topic and bibliography of a paper of at least 3000 words.

All papers must be handed in at least one week before the institutional examination date.

Guidelines on how to write the paper will be available at virtual.unibo.it

In order to qualify, students must submit papers that demonstrate a critical understanding of the topics covered in the lecture and in the bibliography used. They must also demonstrate an adequate ability of expression and organisation of discourse.

Teaching tools

Powerpoint. Other materials will be made available at virtual.unibo.it

Office hours

See the website of Maurizio Ricciardi