B1684 - Politics and Media (LM)

Learning outcomes

This course reconstructs and analyses the mediatisation process of politics in contemporary democracies and its consequences on political phenomena. To this end, many aspects are investigated: the political and social processes intertwined with the mediatisation process; the conceptualisation of the latter in the sociological and political literature; the forms it has taken in different democracies and through different media; its impact on the democratic competition and the representation of politics. At the end of the course, the students will: - master the necessary conceptual tools for analysing the mediatisation phenomenon and its relationship with the transformations of politics; - possess in-depth knowledge of the recent transformations of contemporary democracies and their connection with the integrated system of old and new media; - can analyse specific cases of media conditioning on phenomena such as leadership, political parties and party systems, democratic competition, public debate and public opinion; - is able to apply the knowledge acquired to the theoretical reflection and the empirical observation of a phenomenon which is constantly evolving.

Course contents

The course will deal with the relationships between Politics and Media.

Firstly, the power and mutual conditioning relationships between political actors (leaders, political authorities and parties) and media institutions in democracies will be discussed.

Then, the transformation of political information content and generally of the discourse on politics when filtered by the complex integrated media system and shaped according to media logics and storytelling will be analysed.

Finally, specific attention will be paid to recent phenomena of post-truth and informational disorder and related narratives (such as populist and conspiracy narratives) also as a product of the relationship (or short circuit) between Politics and Media.

Readings/Bibliography

Street, J. (2021). Media, politics and democracy. Bloomsbury Publishing. (2022 ed. elettronica). Part One.

Bentivegna, S., Campus, D., Valeriani, A. (2024), La comunicazione politica contemporanea, Bologna, Il Mulino. Chapters I, II, III.

Seargeant, P. (2021), The Art of Political Storytelling. Why Stories Win Votes in Post-truth Politics, Bloomsbury.

 

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.

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons and discussions on the topics covered and on the video material proposed by the teacher and analysed in class.

Assessment methods

Written exam. Attending students will have two hours to answer four questions on the topics discussed in class and explored in the texts.

Non-attending students will likewise have two hours to answer four questions on the contents of the texts.

 

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

Power Point, video projector and other audiovisual tools.

Office hours

See the website of Sofia Ventura