12661 - Sociology of Communication (1) (F-N)

Learning outcomes

Students learn basic tools to analyze the different forms and the several channels of contemporary communication (interpersonal and face-to-face communication, media communication, web and social media).

Course contents

Integrated course program:

Week 1 - Introduction to the Sociology of Communication. Social theories

Week 2 - Introduction to the Sociology of Communication. Social theories

Week 3 - Symbolic interactionism and interpersonal communication

Week 4 - Interaction ritual

Week 5 - The social construction of reality

Week 6 - The impact of media on social order

Week 7 - Mass media theories

Week 8 - Use and effects of mass communications

Week 9 - The information society and the birth of online sociability

Week 10 - The impact of platforms on the information society

Readings/Bibliography

The course - like its counterpart for surnames A/E and O/Z - privileges the reading of original essays. In addition, a manual in social theories (Collins, R. (1992) Teorie sociologiche. Bologna: Il Mulino) provides continuity between the different topics for those students who have not received a previous training in sociology.

To ensure quality interaction in class, each set of week-related texts must be read before class.

Week 1 - Introduction to the Sociology of Communication. Elements of social theories

Collins, R. (1992) Teorie sociologiche. Bologna: Il Mulino, pp. 15-20, 469-485, 496-497, 76 + 79-84, 237-249.

Week 2 – Introduction to the Sociology of Communication. Elements of social theories

Collins, R. Teorie Sociologiche. Bologna: Il Mulino, pp. 237-249, 423-435.

Week 3 – Symbolic interactionism and interpersonal communication

Collins, R. Teorie Sociologiche. Bologna: Il Mulino, pp. 289-301, 334-338.

Week 4 – Interaction ritual

Collins, R. (1992) Teorie sociologiche. Bologna: Il Mulino, pp. 257-263.

Goffman, E. (1998) L’ordine dell’interazione, Roma: Armando.

Week 5 - The social construction of reality

Collins, R. (1992) Teorie sociologiche. Bologna: Il Mulino, pp. 331-343, 345-347

Schutz, A. (1979) Saggi Sociologici. Torino: UTET, pp. 401-418

Week 6 - The impact of media on social order

Goody. J. e Watt, I. (2000) “Le Conseguenze dell’Alfabetizzazione” in Giglioli, P.P. e Fele, G. Linguaggio e Contesto Sociale. Bologna: Il Mulino, pp. 285-331

Eisenstein, E. (1995) Le Rivoluzioni del Libro. L’invenzione della stampa e la nascita dell’età moderna. Bologna: Il Mulino, pp. 55-102.

Week 7 - Mass media theories

Wolf, M. (1985/1993) Teorie delle Comunicazioni di Massa. Milano: Bompiani, pp. 16-58.

Week 8 - Uses and effects of mass communications

Wolf, M. (1985/1993) Teorie delle Comunicazioni di Massa. Milano: Bompiani, pp. 58-100.

Thompson, J.B. (1998) Mezzi di Comunicazione e Modernità. Bologna: Il Mulino: 121-168.

Week 9 - The information society and the birth of online sociability

Mandatory reading:

Miconi, A. (2007) “I ‘new media’ e la società delle reti”, in Abruzzese, A. e Mancini, P. Sociologie della Comunicazione. Roma-Bari: Laterza, pp. 249-265.

Castells, M. (2002) La nascita della società in rete. Milano: EGEA, pp. 390-419.

Recommended reading:

Pelizza, A. (2018) Communities at a Crossroads. Material semiotics for online sociability in the fade of cyberculture. Amsterdam: Institute of Networked Cultures, pp. 65-71. Disponibile open access su https://networkcultures.org/blog/publication/tod-28-communities-at-a-crossroads/

Week 10 - The impact of platforms on the information society

Mandatory reading:

Autorità per le Garanzie nelle Comunicazioni (2018) News vs. Fake nel Sistema dell’Informazione. Interim report indagine conoscitiva Del. 309/16/cons, pp. i-ix, 74-106. Disponibile su: https://www.agcom.it/documents/10179/12791486/Pubblicazione+23-11-2018/93869b4f-0a8d-4380-aad2-c10a0e426d83?version=1.0

Recommended reading:

Cukier, K.N and Meyer-Schönberger, V. (2013, May/June) "The Rise of Big Data. How It's Changing the Way We Think About the World". Foreign Affairs 92(3), pp. 28-40.

Teaching methods

Lectures, class discussions, empirical analysis of case studies, student presentations. A high degree of interactivity is pursued, also by using cutting-edge interactive technologies in class (e.g. Shakespeak software)

Assessment methods

One written exam with open and closed questions on the texts in the reader.
The questions tend to verify:

a) understanding of the reader;

b) the reflexive appropriation of the concepts and methods exposed, also through empirical examples.

Teaching tools

Classes are conducted in blended modalities: in class, computer with video beamer and digital whiteboard. Interactive software to facilitate classroom exchange. Online: Teams functionalities including chat, turn administration, screen sharing.

The teaching material consists of the reader texts, the presentations prepared by the teacher and the case studies. When not protected by copyright, the teaching material is made available to students through the IOL teaching platform of the University of Bologna. Copyrighted texts in the reader are available at the FILCOM library and at other libraries of the University of Bologna.

Office hours

See the website of Annalisa Pelizza