09660 - Sociology of Culture (O-Z)

Course contents

The course adopts a teaching method which is organized in two different sections.

The first COMMON section consists of lectures (16 lessons + 1 intermediate exam for 34 total hours) and it aims at introducing the students to the acquisition of basic conceptual and theoretical tools. The second section consists of seminars (7 lessons for 14 total hours) and it aims at deepening the learned knowledge and applying it.

As regards the second section, the students will be divided into 3 groups each of which will take only one lesson per week, thus having time to prepare for the next lesson. Students are required to attend the class having already read and studied the assigned material. Based on the individual readings of each student, an active participation will be required for the realization of thematic insights or the analysis of case studies.

Readings/Bibliography

Common section:

1) Niklas Luhmann, La realtà dei mass media, Milano, FrancoAngeli (ultima edizione)

2) Henry Henkins, Sam Ford e Joshua Green, Spredeable Media. I media tra condivisione, Circolazione, Partecipazione, RN, Maggioli, 2013 (solo: INTRODUZIONE E CAPITOLO 8)

Seminars

Henry Henkins, Sam Ford e Joshiua Green, Spredeable Media. I media tra condivisione, Circolazione, Partecipazione, RN, Maggioli, 2013

Seminario N. 1: preparare per la lezione leggendo prima CAP. 1

Seminario N. 2: preparare per la lezione leggendo prima CAP. 2

Seminario N. 3: preparare per la lezione leggendo prima CAP. 3

Seminario N. 4: preparare per la lezione leggendo prima CAP. 4

Seminario N. 5: preparare per la lezione leggendo prima CAP. 5

Seminario N. 6: preparare per la lezione leggendo prima CAP. 6

Seminario N. 7: preparare per la lezione leggendo prima CAP. 7

Teaching methods

In the COMMON part of the course (the first 16 lessons), the professor will present the contents of the texts to be studied, stimulating the critical participation of the students.

Afterwards, for each of the 7 seminars, the professor will prepare written tests which will focus on the study of the chapter of the book that the students must have prepared before the lesson.

In the first 30-45 minutes of each seminar, the professor will present the test INTRODUCING a summary of the topics which have already been studied by the students, thus, clarifying the goal of the written submission. The content of the submission may vary: 1) producing a summary of the chapter; 2) developing an original reflection about the key words of the chapter; 3) proposing an example from her own experience related to the themes of the chapter; 4) analysing a stimulus proposed in class - video or short document - related to the topics of the chapter; 5) other. In the remaining 75 minutes (approximately) of the seminar, the students will have to accomplish the test in the room and deliver it to the professor. The test will be assessed with a grade.

Assessment methods

The course is evaluated in a different but appropriate way for attending and non-attending students.

1) NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS will take a written test in the winter exam sessions (January-February).

The written test will last 1 hour and 20 minutes and will focus on three open questions regarding the contents of the textbooks.

At the end of 80 minutes, the candidate will deliver the test which will be evaluated.

2) ATTENDING STUDENTS.

Attending students are students who:

1. will carry out the INTERMEDIATE TEST on October 27^th and
2. will take part IN ALL 7 SEMINARS, delivering the final written test every time (7 tests).

Both the INTERMEDIATE TEST and the tests of the 7 SEMINARS will receive a mark out of thirty, which will be used to calculate the average mark. The later will constitute the final mark of the course.

Therefore, the attending students will conclude the tests in December and, if they accept the final grade, they will see it officialised and recorded in the winter exam session (January).

WARNING!

Who does NOT ACCEPT the vote of the intermediate test (October 27^th) CAN NOT ATTEND THE SEMINARS and MUST GIVE THE FINAL AND FULL EXAM in the examination sessions.

Who does NOT ACCEPT the vote of the seminars MUST GIVE THE FINAL AND FULL EXAM in the examination sessions.

All written tests (the intermediate exam, the seminars and the exam for non-attending students) will be assessed as follows:

The purpose of the written test is investigating the students’ ability to apply the notions and knowledge which she has learned, and to make the necessary logical-deductive links. The decision of the final grade takes place on the basis of the following criteria:

• Preparation on a very limited number of topics covered in the course and achievement of a very limited ability to analyse and interpret, but both expressed in a correct language conceptually and terminologically: grade 18-19;
• Preparation on a limited number of topics covered in the course and achievement of the ability to analyse and interpret autonomously only pure notional issues, expressed in correct language: grade 20-24;
• Preparation on a large number of topics covered in the course, together with the ability to carry out independent and critical analyses and interpretations, with a good command of specific lexicon and concepts: grade 25-29;
• Substantially exhaustive preparation on the topics addressed in the course, with the ability to carry out independent, well-argued, critical and original analyses and interpretations, together with a full mastery of specific lexicon and concepts: grade 30-30L.

Office hours

See the website of Riccardo Prandini

See the website of Gianluca Maestri

See the website of