72696 - Sociology of Cultural and Communicative Processes

Academic Year 2021/2022

  • Moduli: Giovanna Russo (Modulo 1) Eugenio Bagnini (Modulo 2)
  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures (Modulo 1) Traditional lectures (Modulo 2)
  • Campus: Rimini
  • Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Sciences and Techniques of Preventive and Adapted Physical Activities (cod. 9263)

Learning outcomes

The Teaching Course of “Sociology of the Cultural and Communicative Processes” aims to help you to see and to analyse the main social trends in the “post”-modern society, and the relevance of sport and exercise in it. A lot of theoretical and empirical tools will be presented, so you will be able to better understand the dynamics of sport and exercise in leisure time; the social relevance of mega-sport events such as the Olympics, the Paralympics, and the International Football Championships; the relations between sports, media, and sponsors; the communication for health and movement; the social motivations for exercise and fitness or wellness; etc.

Course contents

In the Teaching Cours of “Sociology of the Cultural and Communicative Processes” you can distinguish 3 parts, the following ones:

1) General Frame: the course will outline the main socio-cultural processes that characterize the motor practices in progress in contemporary society, with particular attention to practices for good health (wellness); it will be done with theoretical references and empirical results, obtained from sociological and communicative studies and research on sport.
In particular, we will analyze the link between Mega sporting events [Mes] and advertising on TV and other media of unhealthy foods, made by global companies such as Coca-Cola, McDonald's, Budweiser as sponsor of the Ioc , Fifa and Uefa. The changes taking place in motor practices will be observed through the analysis of quantitative / qualitative data oriented by the relational theory of society, and in particular by the hypotheses that are inspired by the "Sms triangle", the "medium range" theory that provides changes in this field starting from those in the relationships between audience, sport, media and sponsoring companies.
2) Monographic frame: the course will devote specific attention to the communication processes taking place in the world of sport and motor activities. Attention will be paid to the link, which has been established with increasing strength in the last two decades, between mega sporting events, advertising and food lifestyles, and it will be traced back to the emergence of a new social structure: the "SMS triangle", which connects audiences to sports, media and sponsoring companies; this gives rise to new opportunities, but also new problems ˗ for example, the link between the sedentary lifestyle of minors, advertising for junk food and "mediated" MES can be one of the hidden causes, and therefore very difficult to counter, of the "obesity epidemic" , at a global level and which introduced the concept of "obesogenic environment", in order to underline the multiple causal pathways that explain the rapid increase in the rate of obesity in over 190 countries around the world.
From this perspective, the evolution of the complex relationship between: corpulence - understood as a set of social expectations inherent in the signification, circulation and management of bodies - and society will also be discussed. The society-corpulence interaction in the contemporary world is pervasive, but also unpredictable and contradictory: from the actual invention of obesity as a global pandemic, to the explosion of health treatments to motivate us to lead healthy lifestyles, up to the boom in bariatric surgery; from the attribution of blame to distracted families unable to educate their children, to the accusation against the obesogenic "society".
This proliferation of events, meanings, performances, in turn returns the image of a body without borders and in constant conflict. Society therefore increases communicatively, transforming itself into a global metaphor for obesity.
3) Seminar part wants to encourage students to focus on their own cognitive interests and the application of theories and concepts learned in elaborate, methodologically and scientifically correct.
To this end, the student will attend the Sociology of Cultural and Communicative Processes Exercises (module 2), which will aim to produce a project work aimed at investigating the transformations taking place in motor practices with reference to the theme "sport for health"
Students' active approach to the topics of the course will be encouraged with elective readings in the field of Sociology of sport and experts during the lessons.

Readings/Bibliography

For the preparation of the final exam there are 2 texts:

A) Martelli S. (2017), Mega sporting events, TV advertising and junk food. Four surveys on healthy and active children and lifestyles, FrancoAngeli, Milan (only the chapters indicated in class)

B) Prandini R., Bassi A., Maestri G. (2021), Food, lifestyles, health. An empirical survey in the territory of the Reggio-Emilia ASL, Franco Angeli Ed., Milan (only the chapters indicated in class)

Teaching methods

Face-to-face lessons, and case studies supported by the new technologies of communications.

Assessment methods

At the final exam of this Course an Erasmus+ student will receive a special questionnaire.

The test will consist of 5 open questions (the minimum program), or more (the enlarged program: +3 questions for each choised book = 5+3+… questions, & 2 ‘bonus’ if the answers will be right).

The Erasmus+ student will fill the spaces offered by the 10 lines, vacated after each question; as well as in Italian language, he/she can answer in one of the following languages: English, French, Spanish.

He/She will have no more than 20' to answer at the questions.

Be careful, please, in order to be registered to the roll-call: You have to insert your name in the electronic list for the exam within the 5th day before the fixed date (you can have access to the e-list in the AlmaEsami website). An Erasmus+ students may request an earlier review, according to the day of their departure from Bologna.

Teaching tools

Slides by Power Point.

Surfing the Internet.

Office hours

See the website of Giovanna Russo

See the website of Eugenio Bagnini

SDGs

Good health and well-being Quality education Sustainable cities Responsible consumption and production

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