B2116 - Celebrity Cultures

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student will acquire skills around the role of celebrities in contemporary society and in the media. He will know the importance of public notoriety in the social arena and the influences it can have in cultural and identity processes. S/he will be able to evaluate strength and contradictions of celebrity phenomena, with particular attention to the role of audiovisual media, pop culture and aesthetic production, fashion and music. S/he will be able to use these notions for research on the subject, work of celebrity in the advertising and communication world, or use of the image in entertainment and exhibition contexts.

Course contents

The course offers a critical analysis of celebrity culture, drawing on the main theoretical approaches developed within celebrity studies, and examines both the historical origins and contemporary dynamics of the phenomenon. The first part reconstructs the emergence of stardom and the formation of the star system, analysing the role played by stars in twentieth-century society and the ways in which they were constructed and recognised as cultural models. The second part explores how audiovisual media, popular culture, the fashion industry and digital platforms have reshaped visibility and transformed the relationship between celebrities and the public, introducing new logics of authenticity, accessibility and image management. The course addresses the relationship between celebrity culture and issues of gender, sexuality, age, geographical background, class and power, showing how public figures can reinforce or challenge social norms and values. It examines the mechanisms of celebrity branding, crisis dynamics and strategies for image reconstruction, as well as the role of fandom in the creation and maintenance of celebrity status. Particular attention is devoted to the relationship between generations and celebrity culture, with a specific focus on Generation Z, in order to understand how generational values, references and tensions have contributed to redefining the meaning of being a celebrity over time. While focusing primarily on the Western context, the course also includes selected cases from Eastern contexts for comparative purposes and discusses Italian celebrities to highlight specific features and continuities within the international framework.

Readings/Bibliography

For attending students
Given the complexity and breadth of the topics addressed, the course requires the reading of selected chapters and essays by various authors, which will be made available among the instructor’s materials on the university’s online platform (virtuale.unibo.it). In addition to these readings, and in order to acquire the basic knowledge necessary to understand the key concepts, students are required to study the following volume in its entirety:

Codeluppi, V. (2017, or later editions). Il divismo. Cinema, televisione, web. Rome, Carocci editore.

For non-attending students
The programme corresponds to that for attending students. In addition, students are required to study one of the following volumes in its entirety:

1. Ricci, O. (2013). Celebrità 2.0. Sociologia delle star nell’epoca dei new media. Milan-Udine, Mimesis/Eterotopie.
2.  Caputo, Y. (2024). Italian Gen Z Celebrity. L'analisi delle celebrità teen nella produzione audiovisiva italiana contemporanea. Milan-Udine, Mimesis/Cinergie.

Teaching methods

The course will be delivered through lectures. Teaching will be supported by handouts and selected audiovisual materials, designed to illustrate the concepts discussed and to encourage the analysis of significant case studies. Group exercises may also be proposed in class, aimed at applying the theories addressed to specific cases, in order to promote active learning and to strengthen the ability to relate theoretical concepts to contemporary media and cultural contexts. These exercises will not contribute to the final assessment.

Assessment methods

Learning will be assessed through an oral examination, the same for attending and non-attending students, aimed at verifying the understanding of fundamental concepts related to stardom and celebrity culture, knowledge of their historical evolution, and the ability to critically analyse the media, cultural, and identity dynamics that characterise contemporary celebrity. The exam will consist of open-ended questions and will require clear and well-structured answers, supported by appropriate use of disciplinary terminology. No written assignments or preliminary submissions are required.

Outstanding results will be awarded to students who demonstrate an organic understanding of the phenomena related to stardom and celebrity culture, correct and precise use of the specific disciplinary vocabulary, and the ability to apply theoretical concepts critically to case studies, connecting celebrity dynamics to contemporary cultural, media, and identity processes. A predominantly descriptive or textbook-based knowledge of the subject, a correct but not always in-depth ability to summarise and analyse, and a generally adequate but not fully rigorous use of terminology will result in good but not excellent grades. Limited understanding of fundamental concepts, imprecise language, and a reduced ability to engage with the complexity of the issues discussed will lead to barely sufficient results. Serious gaps in knowledge, inadequate language, inability to contextualise or critically analyse the topics, or difficulty navigating the required bibliography will be assessed negatively.

 

Students with learning disorders and/or temporary or permanent disabilities: Please, contact the office responsible (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students) as soon as possible so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives."

Teaching tools

Classes will make use of the multimedia equipment available in the classrooms (computer, projector, media player), when available, to facilitate the collective viewing of materials relevant to the understanding of the course content.

Office hours

See the website of Ylenia Caputo