42006 - Sociology of the Media (1)

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course the student: knows the main theoretical paradigms developed since the mid-twentieth century; is able to recognize different media logics and culture structures; is able to analyze media contents and effects in different social contexts; is able to apply his/her analytical skills to different global cases.

Course contents

The course program is articulated into three sections.

The first section offers a historical reconstruction of major theories of mass communication developed in the second half of the tewntieth century.

The second section introduces the most influent paradigms developed in the first two decades of the tewntieth century in order to analyze digital media.

The first two sections aim at building a conceptual tool-kit that might be useful to problematize the notion of innovation and to critically frame both continuities and discontinuities, successes and failures, myths and counter-myths of the evolution of media - and of the concepts and methods developed to understand it.

The third section presents a number of research projects carried out over the last few years. They deal with the role of digital media and platforms in the process of identity construction and in the practices of cultural production and consumption in a variety of fields, by looking at both qualifying and critical factors (concerning, for example, issues of privacy, surveillance, and big data).

Readings/Bibliography

• Bentivegna, S. e Boccia Artieri, G. (2019) Le teorie delle comunicazioni di massa e la sfida digitale, Bari-Roma, Laterza.
  
  
• Barisione, M. (2009) Comunicazione e società. Teoria, processi, pratiche del framing, Bologna, il Mulino. Only: Introduction and chapters 1, 2 (pp. 7-54).
  
  
• Van Dijck, J., Poell, T., De Waal, M. (2018) Platform Society. Valori pubblici e società connessa, trad. it. Milano, Guerini, 2019. Only: Introductions and chapters 1, 2, 3 (pp. 9-142).
  
  

Plus one book to be chosen from the following list:

 

• Cardon, D. (2015) Che cosa sognano gli algoritmi. Le nostre vite al tempo dei big data, trad. it. Milano, Mondadori, 2016.
  
  
• Poell, T., Nieborg, D.B., Duffy, B.E. (2022) Piattaforme digitali e produzione culturale, trad. it. Roma, minimum fax.
  
  
• Fasoli, M. (2019) Il benessere digitale, Bologna, il Mulino.
  
  
• Gunthert, A. (2015) L’immagine condivisa. La fotografia digitale, trad. it. Roma, Contrasto, 2016.

Teaching methods

Class lectures.

Assessment methods

Written exam.

In 100 minutes students are expected to answer both closed-ended and open-ended questions on the course bibliography.

Teaching tools

PC, slides, images, videos, web sites.

At the beginning of the course a list of movies will be suggested, dealing with some of the topics addressed in the class lectures.

Office hours

See the website of Marco Solaroli