87334 - Sociology of Arts (1)

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course the student: moving from a critical review of classical and contemporary studies, is provided with a set of tools (concepts, models, theories and paradigms) useful for thinking sociologically the arts (visual, musical, performative ones); knows and is able to discuss art production and consumption, the social phenomenology of taste, art classifications, art evaluation, artistic movements, and the relationships between arts and social movements.

Course contents

Why a "sociology" of art (indeed, of the arts) and what can sociology do to art and with art? Is there a need for sociology to know and understand art? And which art or, rather, which arts? What relationships with other knowledge on art can sociology maintain in order not to lose its own identity? These are the questions the course will try to answer by proposing a path made of stories, concepts and images through a review of sociological approaches to studying the fine, popular, and folk arts.

This year's course will have as its focus “the riddle of the artist” that is, the question of the artist's identity in its different declinations, starting with the one that wants him to be a special, anomalous, atypical, irregular human being. It will be an opportunity to investigate, on the one hand, how the image, i.e., the reputation of the artists we recognize as 'great' (and thus the process of canonization and consecration of the artist) has been constructed, and on the other hand, to reflect on those cases in which abnormality, extraordinariness and sometimes 'madness' becomes an integral part of the artist's image and the very value or meaning of his art - even classifiable as an outsider. Beginning with the classic studies on the 'legend of the artist' by Kris and Kurz and on the character and conduct of the artist by Mr. and Mrs. Wittkower (1934 and 1963, respectively), and with the help of the analytical tools of contemporary sociology of art (particularly with the studies of Howard Becker, Pierre Bourdieu and Nathalie Heinich), the course will look at a number of artist biographies drawn from the history of the visual arts, music and film - from Mozart to Beethoven, Eduard Manet to Vincent van Gogh, Alfred Hitchcock to Martin Scorsese, Ornette Coleman to Luigi Tenco to Kurt Cobain - in order to develop a model and apply it to other case studies, including those of the students' choice. The course will also be an opportunity to consider convergences and differences between sociology, history and psychology of art.

Students with SLD or temporary or permanent disabilities. It is suggested that they get in touch as soon as possible with the relevant University office (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en) and with the lecturer in order to seek together the most effective strategies for following the lessons and/or preparing for the examination.

 

Readings/Bibliography

Materiali storico-sociologici sulla identità dell’artista, testi di E. Kris e O. Kurz, R. e M. Wittkower, L. Nochlin, G. Engel Lang e K. Lang, N. Elias, N. Heinich, A. Dal Lago e S. Giordano, M. Santoro (disponibili su Virtuale)

One of the following:

H.S. Becker, Art worlds, Berkeley, University of California Press 1982.

P. Bourdieu, Il mercato dei beni simbolici e altri scritti sull’arte, Milano, Meltemi 2023.

 

Teaching methods

Lectures with moments of seminar discussion on topics of the course starting from the reading of selected texts

Assessment methods

Oral exam (usually 3 questions on topics of the course and in any case on the texts in the program) with an opportunity to discuss a research paper on a topic agreed upon with the lecturer (see course contents).

Students with SLD or temporary or permanent disabilities. It is necessary to contact the relevant University office (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en) with ample time in advance: the office will propose some adjustments, which must in any case be submitted 15 days in advance to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of these in relation to the teaching objectives.

Teaching tools

Texts in pdf format uploaded on the online platform of the course; teaching support videos; course slides (available at the end of the lessons)

Office hours

See the website of Marco Santoro