81878 - Digital Media and Gender

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student knows the role that women have played in Information and Communication Technology and particularly in Internet Studies fields. He/she knows the debates on "women and the web" (gender digital divide, Internet Governance, gender stereotypes and feminism on/of the web). He/she knows how to plan and carry out research projects on women's communities. He/she knows different types of business models.

Course contents

The course focuses the attention on the relationship between gender and digital media: on the one side gender inequalities, on the other side user's opportunities to challenge the patriarchal order will be discussed.

Readings/Bibliography

Raewyn Connell "Gender" (2009, trad. it. "Questioni di genere", il Mulino, Bologna 2011, 2° ed.)

- Saveria Capecchi, Elisabetta Ruspini (a cura di) (2009) "Media, corpi, sessualità. Dai corpi esibiti al cybersex", Franco Angeli, Milano.

- Marzia Vaccari Tecnologia-neutra-ma-non-neutrale in Patrizia Violi, Cristina Demaria 2009, “Tecnologie di genere. Teoria, usi e pratiche di donne nella rete” Bononia University Press.

- Slide modulo II di Marzia Vaccari.

Teaching methods

Lectures, case analysis, seminars with professionals, work groups.

Assessment methods

Students attending the course: written exam (three open questions on obligatory texts) or a written short dissertation on the topics discussed in class: the main results of the research will be presented in class.

Students not attending the course: written exam (three open questions on obligatory texts).

International students: written exam (or written short dissertation) in English, French, Spanish.

Teaching tools

Power point slides, videos.

Office hours

See the website of Saveria Capecchi

See the website of Marzia Vaccari