93494 - History of Communication (LM)

Academic Year 2021/2022

  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Information, Cultures and Media Organisation (cod. 5698)

Learning outcomes

The course focuses on the historical evolution of the communicative sphere paying special attention to the interaction between communication, politics and public opinion. The course will analyze, with a comparative approach, the role of mass media in the consensus building process from the end of the 19th century to the present. At the end of the course, students are expected to: - have a clear framework of the history of mass media and political communication from the end of 19th century to the present time; - develop an in-depth knowledge of analytical tools to evaluate the influence of the media system on the consensus building process; analyze specific features that characterized the evolution of electoral campaigns during the 20th century and the transformations that they produced on the mechanisms of political legitimacy.

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 module students will be involved in project activities and simulations of election campaigns. 

Readings/Bibliography

Attending students will have to study the content of the lessons and  two monographs:

- R. Brizzi, L'uomo dello schermo. De Gaulle e i media, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2010.

- E. Novelli, Le campagne elettorali in Italia. Protagonisti, strumenti, teorie, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2020.

 

Non-attending students will have to study the handbook L. Gorman, D. Mclean, Media e società nel mondo contemporaneo, Il Mulino, Bologna 2011 and two monographs:

- R. Brizzi, L'uomo dello schermo. De Gaulle e i media, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2010.

- E. Novelli, Le campagne elettorali in Italia. Protagonisti, strumenti, teorie, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2020.

 

Teaching methods

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

ATTENTION. Given the fluidity of the emergency situation and since this program is published in July 2021, it is possible that the methods of teaching will change in the coming months. In this case, the data will be promptly communicated with an update of this page, as well as through the DAMS website and the official DAMS Facebook page. All students are invited to periodically consult these resources.

Assessment methods

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

For attending students - in three dedicated sessions - there will be two tests: a written test (30 multiple-choice questions, 1 point each) concerning the texts of the bibliography, and an oral interview on the contents of the lessons. Both the tests must be passed during the same examination session and the final evaluation will be determined by the results of both exams.

For non-attending students there will be a written examination (30 closed-ended questions, 1 point each) concerning the texts of the bibliography. 

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.

Teaching tools

Powerpoint presentations, audio-visual material, digital resources.

Office hours

See the website of Riccardo Brizzi

SDGs

Quality education Industry, innovation and infrastructure Peace, justice and strong institutions

This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.