28392 - Semiotics of Consumptions (1) (LM)

Learning outcomes

At the end of this course module, students will obtain the capability to apply semiotic methodology to different expressions of contemporary consumption, from advertising to fashion, from product industrial design to the practices of visiting shops, supermarkets, malls, museums, fairs, exhibitions, art galleries.

Course contents

Over the years, the semiotics of consumption has mainly focused on (1) the analysis of places of consumption, studying the public spaces in which products, services or, more broadly, experiences are purchased; (2) the analysis of consumption practices, understood as sets of behaviors and relationships that people experience in individual stores.

After surveying semiotic studies in this area and their relationship to experiential marketing, also in relation to e-commerce platforms and digital consumption practices, the course will take a critical-analytical look at a fundamental constant around which – for more than four decades – multinational corporations have been constructing first the desires and lifestyles, then the purchasing practices of consumers and female consumers: the representation (visual and audiovisual) of an ideal model of a slim, toned and young human body.

Contemporary stereotypes of the slim, toned and young body will be reconstructed, in a sense of "stereotyping" that comes from the social sciences, but will be analyzed in semiotic terms and applied to concrete cases, drawn as much from advertising and social campaigns as from audiovisuals and images disseminated on social media (especially Instagram and TikTok). 

The methodology and theoretical perspective will be interdisciplinary: the input of semiotics will be integrated, where possible or necessary, with that of experiential marketing, consumer sociology and social psychology.

Readings/Bibliography

Required texts (in alphabetical and chronological order)

G. Cosenza "La donna Trans-Age", in L. Mascio (eds.), Visioni di moda, Franco Angeli, Milano, 2008, pp. 74-94.
G. Cosenza, "Il corpo degli uomini", Alfabeta 2, n°4, November 2010. Available for download here.
G. Cosenza, "Batti e ribatti, la stessa pubblicità", Rivista Il Mulino, 1/11, LX, n° 453, 2011, pp. 136-141. Available for download here.

G. Cosenza, J. Colombari, E. Gasparri, “How Italian Advertising Represents Women and Men. Towards a Methodology for the Semiotic Analysis of Stereotypes”, gender/sexuality/italy, 4, pp. 190-217. Available for download here.

G. Cosenza, "Stereotipi e pregiudizi. Dalle scienze sociali alla semiotica", E/C. Rivista dell'AISS, 2023, 37, pp. 243-257. Available for download here.

S. Gnasso, P. Iabichino, Existential Marketing. I consumatori comprano, gli individui scelgono, Hoepli, Milano, 2014 (the whole book).

B. Mazzara, Stereotipi e pregiudizi, Il Mulino, Bologna, 1997 (the whole book).

F. Savini, Giovani nella pubblicità per giovani, Generi, ruoli, età della vita negli spot a target giovanile, Libreriauniversitaria.it Edizioni, Limena, 2014 (the whole book).

S. Traini, "Verso una semiotica del consumo", Ch. 6 in S. Traini, Semiotica della comunicazione pubblicitaria, Bompiani, Milano, 2008, pp. 147-183.

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Optional texts (one or more of the required texts can be substituted with one or more of the following ones, after that an agreement with the professor has been made):

P. Cervelli, L. Romei e F. Sedda (eds.), Mitologie dello sport. 40 saggi brevi, Edizioni Nuova Cultura, 2010.

M. Ferraresi e B. Schmitt, Marketing esperienziale. Come sviluppare l’esperienza di consumo, Angeli, Milano, 2018

M. Fusaschi, Corporalmente corretto. Note di antropologia, Meltemi, Roma, 2008.

R. Ghigi, Per piacere. Storia culturale della chirurgia estetica, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2008.

R. Ghigi, R. Sassatelli, Corpo, genere e società, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2018.

R. Goeckel, Donne che mangiano troppo, Feltrinelli, Milano, 1988 (21ma edizione 2008).

G. Marrone (ed.), Discorso della salute. Verso una sociosemiotica medica, Meltemi, Roma, 2005.

L. Mascio (ed.), Visioni di moda, Franco Angeli, Milano, 2008.

M.G. Muzzarelli, F. Tarozzi, Donne e cibo. Una relazione nella storia, Bruno Mondadori, Milano, 2003.

M.G. Muzzarelli, L. Re (ed.), Il cibo e le donne. Prospettive interdisciplinari, Clueb, Bologna, 2005.

I. Pezzini, P. Cervelli (eds.), Scene del consumo. Dallo shopping al museo, Meltemi, Roma, 2007.

R. Sassatelli, Anatomia della palestra. Cultura commerciale e disciplina del corpo, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2000.

R. Sassatelli (ed.), Sociologia del corpo, "Rassegna Italiana di Sociologia", 3, 2002.

R. Sassatelli (ed.), Sociologia dell'alimentazione, "Rassegna Italiana di Sociologia", 2, 2004.

L. Zanardo, Il corpo delle donne, Feltrinelli, Milano, 2010.

Teaching methods

The lectures will mainly be used to collectively analyse images, commercials, reels, viral videos.

Given the eminently practical nature of the course, regular attendance is strongly recommended.

Assessment methods

The exam will consist of a 15-to-20-page paper (2000 characters per page). The topic of the paper has to be agreed upon with the professor either in person or via email. During lessons the professor will give several suggestions for possible research topics.

The paper will be agreed upon with the professor (at the end of the lectures or during the student hours, for those not attending) and will result in a written paper (term paper) a maximum of 20 pages long of 2,000 characters each, for a total of 40,000 characters (including spaces, titles and bibliography). In the case of group work, the paper will have a multiple number of pages of the number of members of the group (2 people 80,000 characters, 3 people 120,000, and so on).

In case the student is not satisfied with the final evaluation, he/she may supplement the written test with an oral test by making a request via e-mail to the professor.

NOTE. The paper must absolutely follow – on pain of NOT passing the exam – the "Directions for writing the Master thesis," which can be found in a 10-page PDF downloadable from HERE (section "In evidenza" in the right column of the page).

Teaching tools

During lessons the professor will use the multimedia tools of the University, in order to show and analyze images and audiovisual products (especially commercials and reels), and to browse the Web.

The professor will publish her lecture notes and PowerPoint presentations on the Virtuale platform.

Office hours

See the website of Giovanna Cosenza