B8830 - Semiotics and Culture of Digital Transformation (1) (LM)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, students will have achieved elements of theoretical reflection and basic technical skills on the issues of production, adaptation and dissemination of cultural content, with particular reference to: digital platforms (digital libraries, streaming platforms for cinema and music, online repositories), Minting of Non Fungible Tokens for digital artwork, ethics and aesthetics of artificial intelligence.No particular computer skills are required to attend the course.

Course contents

Over the past two decades, we have witnessed the digital transformation of cultural industry products. While this shift was initially understood as primarily affecting the material supports of these products (books, films, and music handled as files on a computer), it has now become clear that access, meaning-making, and interpretation have also been fundamentally reshaped within the digital context of editing and publishing.

Throughout the course, we will apply various semiotic theories to the analysis of existing digital platforms—exploring issues such as intersemiotic translation, user roles, intertextuality, and accessibility—and to the prototyping of experimental approaches to content creation and curation.

Several sessions will be dedicated to examining the relationship between digital cultural content (ebooks, audio files, videos, and digital art) and Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs). In addition to a technical component focused on prototyping digital cultural products, the course will include an in-depth exploration of Generative Artificial Intelligence, as well as seminar-style meetings with professionals from the film and literary industries.

Readings/Bibliography

• Required readings:

  • Benjamin, W. (1974). L'opera d'arte nell'epoca della sua riproducibilità tecnica. Torino: Einaudi.

  • Eco, U. (1984) Semiotica e filosofia del linguaggio. Torino: Einaudi. (Solo il capitolo 1).

  • Eco, U. (1983) “Corna, Zoccoli, Scarpe”, in Umberto Eco & Thomas A. Sebeok (a cura di), Il segno dei tre. Holmes, Dupin, Peirce, Milano, Bompiani.

  • Martinelli, P. (2025) Literacy. Semiotica evolutiva dell'apprendimento. Roma: Luca Sossella (capitoli 1, 2 e 4).

  • Paolucci, C. (2025) Nati Cyborg. Roma: Luca Sossella.

  One text to be chosen from the following:

  • Floridi, L. (2022) Etica dell’intelligenza artificiale. Milano: Raffaello Cortina Editore. (da p.21 a p.63)

  • Manovich, L. (2020) L'estetica dell'intelligenza artificiale. Roma: Luca Sossella.

  • Paolucci, Claudio; Martinelli, Paolo; Bacaro, Martina, Can we really free ourselves from stereotypes? A semiotic point of view on clichés and disability studies, «SEMIOTICA», 2023, 253, pp. 1 - 34 [articolo]

Teaching methods

The course consists of lectures and hands-on workshops involving the use of digital devices.

Assessment methods

The examination consists of an oral discussion with the lecturer based on the required course readings.

Students may also choose to present and discuss a short paper analysing a case study. The paper presentation is optional and is additional to, rather than a substitute for, the oral examination on the required readings.

Students with Disabilities and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)
Students with disabilities or specific learning disorders are entitled to special accommodations based on their condition, subject to assessment by the University Service for Students with Disabilities and SLD. Please do not contact the instructor directly, but instead reach out to the Service to schedule an appointment. The Service will determine the appropriate accommodations.
More information is available at:
https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/it/per-studenti

Teaching tools

Lessons will be conducted using the multimedia tools available at the Department. Occasionally, a B.Y.O.D. (Bring Your Own Device) approach will be adopted.

Office hours

See the website of Paolo Martinelli