73396 - Sociology Of Culture And Communication

Learning outcomes

The course 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 will focus on analyzing the changes - from the beginning of the twentieth century up today - which have transformed the meaning and practices of public welfare.

Particular attention will be given to analyze and understand changes in the semantics and practices of public services .

Part of the course will be devoted to the study of the personalization of welfare services and their co-production with users.

Readings/Bibliography

- N. Andersen Akerstroem e J. G. Pors, Il welfare delle potenzialità. Il management pubblico in transizione, Mimesis, Milano-Udine, 2016.

- R. Prandini e Ch. F. Sabel, a cura di, Personalizzare il welfare, FrancoAngeli, Milano, 2013 (Numero della rivista "Sociologia e politiche sociali", 16, 3, 2013).

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

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

 

Teaching tools

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

For students who attended the lectures there will be the possibility to pass a partial exams.

Partial exams are not compulsory, although they are strongly recommended.

Office hours

See the website of Riccardo Prandini