93494 - History of Communication (LM)

Learning outcomes

The course analyzes the evolution of communication, with particular focus on political communication, from the late 19th century to the early 21st century. Starting from the advent of mass printing, the course retraces the main transformations of the media system and examines their impact on the processes of consensus-building and on the mechanisms of political legitimization, from a historical and comparative perspective. By the end of the course, students: - master the main methodologies for analyzing the history of communication and journalism; - have an in-depth knowledge of the development of mass media and political communication from the late 19th century to the early 21st century; - are able to critically analyze the evolution of the relationship between media, politics, and public opinion; - can apply the acquired knowledge to the interpretation of election campaigns and contemporary political languages; - understand the transformations induced by the media in the processes of legitimizing political power in the contemporary age.

Course contents

The course is divided into three modules. 

The first part of the course is devoted to the interaction between communication, politics and public opinion in the first half of the twentieth century. 

The second part of the course is devoted to examine the transformations of political communication from the advent of the "Holy Trinity" of political communication (Television, Polls, Advertising) in the Fifties to the in the 21st Century.

In the third part of the course, students will be directly involved through presentations and/or simulations of electoral campaigns, under the supervision of the professor.

Readings/Bibliography

Attending students are required to study the materials covered during the lectures and the assigned monograph.

Non-attending students are required to study the textbook and the assigned monograph.

Textbook (for non-attending students only):

• M. Pasetti, Storia delle comunicazione e della cultura di massa, Le Monnier, 2026.

Monograph (for both attending and non-attending students):

• M. Dondi, Dal salotto al Palazzo. Storia del potere televisivo in Italia 1974-1994, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2025.

Teaching methods

Frontal lectures. The teacher will always be present in the classroom designated for teaching.

Assessment methods

The exam is different for attending and non-attending students.

Attending students will have access to three dedicated examination sessions, during which they will take an oral examination based on the content of the lectures and the monograph indicated in the syllabus.


Non-attending students will take a written examination consisting of 30 questions (worth 1 point each), covering the two texts (the textbook and the monograph) listed in the bibliography. No oral examination is предусмотрed for non-attending students.

It will be assessed as excellent the performance of those students achieving an organic vision of the course contents, the use of a proper specific language, a structural and historical-contextual understanding of the subjects studied, the originality of the reflection as well as the familiarity with the tools of analysis of 20th century communication history. It will be assessed as discrete the performance of those students showing mostly mechanical or mnemonic knowledge of the subject, not articulated synthesis and analysis capabilities, a correct but not always appropriate language, as well as a scholastic study of 20th century  communication history. It will be assessed as barely sufficient the performance of those students showing learning gaps, inappropriate language, lack of knowledge of the instruments of 20th century  communication history. It will be assessed as insufficient the performance of those students showing learning gaps, inappropriate language, no orientation within the recommended bibliography and inability to analyse 20th century communication history.

For the assessment, the use of AI during the written examination is prohibited. Any use of AI constitutes a violation of academic integrity.

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.

 

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

Powerpoint presentations, audio-visual material, digital resources.

Office hours

See the website of Riccardo Brizzi