81778 - History of Mass Communication (LM)

Academic Year 2020/2021

  • Docente: Simona Salustri
  • Credits: 9
  • SSD: M-STO/04
  • Language: English
  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Language, Society and Communication (cod. 8874)

Learning outcomes

Mass communication is defined as communication reaching large numbers of people through various media, especially since the beginning of mass society. The aim of the course is to study history and development of mass communication. The main topics will be the development and growth of media from the past to the present; the role of media under various political systems and the influence of communication on national building; the relationship between media and politics within different historical environments, in order to understand the importance of media to mass communication both past and present. Particular attention will be given to several case studies to explain the role of media in the states propaganda.

Readings/Bibliography

3 books:

1) F. Anania, Storia della comunicazione di massa or L. Gorman, D. McLean, Media and society into the 21st Century

2) Walter J. Ong, Orality and Literacy. The Technologizing of the Word or M. McLuhan, The Gutenberg Galaxy: the Making of Typographic Man

Only Erasmus students:

3) D. Welch, The Third Reich. Politics and propaganda or S. Salustri, Orientare l’opinione pubblica. Mezzi di comunicazione e propaganda politica nell'Italia fascista

Only Italian students:

3) S. Salustri, Orientare l’opinione pubblica. Mezzi di comunicazione e propaganda politica nell'Italia fascista

Teaching methods

Lectures will alternate with watching films in English, with guided analysis and discussion of them.


Active participation from the students in the discussions and the other activities is an essential part of the learning process and exam preparation.

Assessment methods

An oral exam.

Students attending the classes could discuss a short Essay (5000 words), in English. The essay must further develop one of the thematic issues suggested in class.

All essays must include a full scholarly apparatus of footnotes or endnotes to indicate the source of all information, quotations, as well as a full bibliography.

Teaching tools

Printed and audiovisual material, PPT, on line resources.

Office hours

See the website of Simona Salustri

SDGs

Quality education Gender equality

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