73396 - Sociology Of Culture And Communication

Learning outcomes

The 'teaching of Sociology of cultural and communication processes has as its mission providing the student with the basic knowledge about the changes in society from the perspective of the changes in values and lifestyles, on the one hand, and social communication manner from the other. It aims to develop the skills concerning the sociological reading of such phenomena, from the axiological and religious to those of socialization and training (including human resources), until the social impact of the mass media and advanced technologies, through interpretive and explanatory schemes coming from sociological research. At the end of the course the student will be able to analyze the processes of emergence and diffusion of values and norms tendencies crosscuttingly all the social processes, from those concerning socialization agencies (family and school) to those affecting the life-worlds of the local community, work, civic participation, the various types of social, economic and political organizations. He'll be able to place the cultural and communicative dimensions in the context of social morphogenesis regarding the various spheres of society. Its repercussions in professional terms relate to the wider world of cultural institutions, particularly those involved in the relationship between the generations, and various job positions in the cultural industry institutions, the mass media, consumption and information.

Course contents

The course aims to provide students with sociological tools in order to build realistic and scientifically validated research design. The course presents and explains the different heuristics that will allow the sociologist to identify a problem, to choose between the theories, the most suitable methods for analysis, so to address the dilemmas that a sociological research normally involves. We will focus on different discovery pathes that allow sociologists to overcome standardizing research without losing nethodological rigor and creativity.

The second part of the course is dedicated to a focus on the participant observation method, as a means of collecting, coding and compiling sociological data.

Readings/Bibliography

- Andrew Abbott, I metodi della scoperta. Come trovare delle buone idee nelle scienze sociali, Milano, Bruno Mondadori, 2007.

- Giovanni Semi, L'osservazione partecipante. Una guida pratica, Bologna, il Mulino, 2010.

Teaching methods

Traditional frontal lessons. Power Point slides can be used. In no case the slides will be given to the students. Only the indicated textes are needed for the exam. Lectures including moments of discussion and comparison with students.

Assessment methods

The final assessment consists in an oral exam that consists in a conversation about the suggested reading list.

Assessment scale - It will produce excellent valuations: the ability to deepen and put into connection with each other the main issues addressed in the course; the use of appropriate language with the specific nature of the discipline. It will produce discrete valuations: mnemonic knowledge of contents and partial ability to link the themes covered; the use of appropriate language. It will produce sufficient valuations: a minimal body of knowledge on the topics covered; the use of inappropriate language. It will produce negative valuations: lack of guidance within the themes addressed in the exam readings and training gaps; the use of inappropriate language.

Teaching tools

The final assessment consists in an oral exam that consists in a conversation about the suggested reading list.

Office hours

See the website of Riccardo Prandini