85578 - Seminars (1) (LM)

Learning outcomes

The student will attend seminar-type teaching modules aimed at introducing students to more advanced research, with the goal of deepening topics and methods within the disciplinary areas of the course of study.

Course contents

This year's programme consists of a reading seminar cycle dedicated to the reading and critical discussion of two foundational works of contemporary semiotics: Umberto Eco's A Theory of Semiotics and Carlo Ginzburg's Clues: Roots of an Evidential Paradigm.

On the occasion of the tenth anniversary of Umberto Eco's death and the recent passing of Carlo Ginzburg, the seminar aims to pay tribute to both thinkers through two works that have profoundly influenced the development of semiotics, the theory of interpretation, and the human sciences.

The course proposes a direct return to the classic texts of the discipline, with the aim of developing skills in critical reading, scholarly discussion, and argumentation through engagement with foundational works of semiotic thought.

The course will take place during the first teaching period, from 14 September to 30 October, on Mondays from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., at the teaching facilities in Via Azzo Gardino.

During the second semester, classes will be held from 8 February to 15 March and from 10 April to 30 May, every Monday from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.The seminar will be structured according to the following programme:

Seminar 1 - Introduction to the Reading Seminar

Presentation of the course, methodology, assessment, Umberto Eco and Carlo Ginzburg.

Seminar 2 - Toward a Theory of Semiotics (Introduction, pp. 3-32)

Seminar 3 - Signification and Communication (Chapter 1, pp. 32-48)

Seminar 4 - Theory of Codes I: The Sign-Function (Chapter 2, pp. 48-73)

Seminar 5 - Theory of Codes II: Semantic Systems and Cultural Units (Chapter 2, pp. 73-96)

Seminar 6 - Theory of Codes III: Semantic Models and the Encyclopaedia (Chapter 2, pp. 96-125)

Seminar 7 - Theory of Codes IV: Codes, Messages and Texts (Chapter 2, pp. 125-151)

Seminar 8 - Theory of Sign Production I: Semiotic Statements and Mentioning (Chapter 3, pp. 151-172)

Seminar 9 - Theory of Sign Production II: Signs and Iconism (Chapter 3, pp. 172-191)

Seminar 10 - Theory of Sign Production III: The Critique of Iconism (Chapter 3, pp. 191-217)

Seminar 11 - Theory of Sign Production IV: Modes of Sign Production (Chapter 3, pp. 217-237)

Seminar 12 - Theory of Sign Production V: Invention and Aesthetic Labour (Chapter 3, pp. 237-261)

Seminar 13 - Theory of Sign Production VI: Rhetoric, Ideology and Code Switching (Chapter 3, pp. 261-289)

Seminar 14 - Theory of Sign Production VII: The Semiotic Subject (Chapter 4, pp. 289-318)

Seminar 15 - Clues: Roots of an Evidential Paradigm (Carlo Ginzburg, Clues: Roots of an Evidential Paradigm, in Clues, Myths, and the Historical Method).

 

In the first session, the instructor will present the course objectives, working method, participation requirements, and the two texts that are the subject of the seminar. In the second session, the instructor will provide an example of critical reading and seminar-style presentation.

Starting from the third session, students will take turns acting as seminar leaders, introducing discussion of the assigned chapter through a critical presentation. All other participants will take part in the debate as discussants, under the coordination of the instructor.

Readings/Bibliography

Eco, U. (1976). A Theory of Semiotics. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.

Ginzburg, C. (1989). Clues: Roots of an Evidential Paradigm. In Clues, Myths, and the Historical Method. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.

Teaching methods

The course is organised as a reading seminar cycle.

In the first session, the instructor will present the objectives of the seminar, the working method, the participation requirements, and the main themes addressed in the course, also introducing the scholarly profiles of Umberto Eco and Carlo Ginzburg and the role of the works studied in the seminar within the development of contemporary semiotics.

In the second session, the instructor will offer an example of critical reading and seminar-style presentation of a section of the text, illustrating the methods of analysis and discussion that will characterise the following sessions.

Starting from the third session, students will take turns acting as seminar leaders, presenting the assigned chapter, reconstructing its argumentative structure, highlighting its main theoretical concepts, and proposing possible connections with other themes of the course. Each presentation will be followed by a collective discussion, in which all students will be called upon to participate as discussants, under the coordination of the instructor.

Assessment methods

Assessment will be based on the quality of participation in the seminar activities and on the oral presentation of the assigned chapter, during which the student will act as seminar leader, introducing and guiding the critical discussion of the text.

The assessment will consider the student's ability to critically understand the texts, reconstruct their argumentation, contextualise them within the semiotic debate, and contribute knowledgeably to the collective discussion.

Should a student, for organisational reasons, not have the opportunity to give the seminar presentation, assessment will consist of an oral examination on the texts included in the syllabus.

Attendance is compulsory. In order to take the final assessment, participation in at least 75% of the seminar sessions is required.


Exam sessions:

The oral exams awill be scheduled during the exam appeals, that will take place in the following months during a.y. 2025/2026: January, March, June, September, December.

Students with disabilities and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students with disabilities or Specific Learning Disorders have the right to special adjustments according to their condition, following an assessment by the Service for Students with Disabilities and SLD. Please do not contact the instructor but get in touch with the Service directly to schedule an appointment. It will be the responsibility of the Service to determine the appropriate adjustments. For more information, visit the page: https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students .

It is recommended that students contact the University office in advance. Any proposed adjustments must be submitted at least 15 days in advance for the instructor’s approval, who will evaluate their appropriateness in relation to the learning objectives of the course.

Teaching tools

• Texts included in the syllabus.
• Supplementary materials and bibliographic references made available by the instructor via the Virtuale platform.
• Slides and contextual materials used by the instructor during the introductory sessions.
• Any additional materials provided by the instructor during the course.

Office hours

See the website of Luigi Lobaccaro