73396 - Sociology Of Culture And Communication

Learning outcomes

The teaching has the target to give the students advanced knowledge about the interpretation of cultural objects, the social processes of their creation, distribution and communication in society. It aims at developing the cognitive and hermeneutical abilities to understand in which aspects social phenomena are 'cultural' products, with reference to value systems, religious beliefs, socialization processes, training of human resources, and the impact of the old and new mass media and ICTs on individuals, social networks, social groups. To this end, the teaching will present both explanatory and Verstehen frameworks, and it will touch upon the main  sociological theories, from the classic up to the contemporary most relevant sociologists. Culture and communication are viewed as modalities of building up social relations, from the informal to the most institutionalized ones. At the end of the course, the student (a) should possess the cognitive skills to analyze, both theoretically and empirically, the social processes through which new cultural patterns emerge and circulate within and across the different social spheres, from the socialization agencies (family and school) to the life worlds in the local communities, the workplace, the civic activities, the different kinds of social, economic, political organizations; (b) knows how to make a research design for empirical investigation on the field, in its different phases and technicalities, in order to explain and give sound interpretations to the cultural and communicative dimensions of the social morphogenesis going on in society. As to the expected outcomes in terms of professional training, the teaching is intended to provide the student with adequate knowledge about how to spend her/his abilities in the cultural institutions, in the world of the mass media and ICTs, consumes and life styles.

Course contents

The course is articulated in two parts. In the first part, a relational analysis of cultural and communicative processes will be presented and discussed, with reference to the most significant sociological approaches developed by classical and contemporary sociologists, worldwide. Society will be studied as a field of social relations (which embody cultural and communicative dimensions) according to the most relevant sociological paradigms, in particular the relational paradigm. Society is described and interpreted as a 'network' and analyzed through the conceptual and methodological framework of network analysis and the relational version of the AGIL scheme. The second part is intended to offer a panorama of the most meaningful changes of contemporary advanced societies under the cultural and communicative aspects, by resorting to the interpretative key of the enigma hiding in the social relationships, both the interpersonal-face to face and impersonal or institutional ones, emerging from the social and cultural changes brought about by the processes of western modernization. Modernity and postmodernity are examined as critical socio-cultural formations from the viewpoint of the theory of reflexivity. Finally, the scenario of the globalized society is presented and critically discussed as the horizon of sociological inquiry.

Readings/Bibliography

The textbooks to be studied in order to take this exam of 8 credits are the following:

1. P. Donati, Teoria relazionale della società: i concetti di base, FrancoAngeli, Milano, 2009 (tutto il testo)

2. P. Donati, L'enigma della relazione, Mimesis edizioni, Milano-Udine, 2015 (tutto il testo)

Supplementary bibliographical references will be given during the classroom lessons as integrative documents which do not substitute the two basic textbooks which are mandatory.

Teaching methods

Teaching methods are classroom lessons, ad hoc seminars,  discussion meetings, technological tools (internet and video), and the access to the department lab.

Assessment methods

The assessment of the degree and quality of learning is made through the discussion during the classroom lessons, in the personal conversations with the teacher during the reception hours, and through the final exam of the student. The final exam may be written or oral. The choice of one of the two modalities is up to the student.

Teaching tools

Teaching tools are: classroom lessons, group discussions, integrative seminars and technological means. To be prepared to take the exam, the student must have studied in details the textbooks indicated as mandatory, while a bibliography of supplementary texts (books, papers, grey literature) will be presented and discussed in face-to-face meetings, group work, and the hours of reception by the teacher in his office. To get an appointiment, please, send an e-mail to pierpaolo.donati@unibo.it

Office hours

See the website of Pierpaolo Donati