31668 - Cultural and Communication Globalisation Processes

Course contents

The course will investigate the principal models for interpreting globalization, with particular reference to the theories on culture as a global phenomenon and to the cultural dynamics of globalization. Attention will focus on the following topics: 

(i) the theoretical debate on globalization and on the end of globalization (the history of globalization; the reconfiguration of political power; the globalization/anti-globalization debate; the political controversy over globalization); (ii) the theoretical debate over cultural globalization (cultural identity in the globalized world; the destiny of national culture; the cultural dynamics of globalization; (iii) the debate on the role of the media in globalization (the role of communication technologies in cultural globalization; new forms of communication in the dialectic of power and counter-power; the global media and communication policies). 

At the end of the course students are expected to be able to analyze the fundamental elements in the current sociological debate on globalization, on cultural globalization and on the role of the media in the cultural dynamics of globalization.  Students will be able to describe the principal theoretical options on topics dealt with and to make a critical comparison between them.

 

Readings/Bibliography

SECTION I

Compulsory texts for all attending and non-attending students:

D. Held, A. McGrew, Globalismo e antiglobalismo, il Mulino, Bologna, 2010 (prefazione, introduzione, cap. 1, cap. 2, cap. 7, cap. 9).

L. Martell, Sociologia della globalizzazione, Einaudi, Torino, 2011 (introduzione, cap. 1, cap. 2, cap. 3, cap. 4).

S. Benhabib, La rivendicazione dell'identità culturale. Eguaglianza e diversità nell'era globale, il Mulino, Bologna, 2005;

F.J. Lechner, J. Boli,  World Culture. Origins and Consequences , Blackwell, Oxford, 2005 (da studiare: cap. 2, Analyzing World Culture. Alternative Theories , pp. 30-59).

P. Berger, Le dinamiche culturali della globalizzazione, in «Quaderni di Teoria Sociale», 5, 2005, pp. 321-337.

T. Rantanen, The Media and Globalization, Sage, London, 2005.

M. Castells, Comunicazione, Potere e contropotere nella network society, sul sito web  http://www.caffeeuropa.it/socinrete/castells.pdf  

SECTION II 

Attending students shall present in class a chapter of their choice:

R. Mansell, M. Raboy (eds.), The Handbook of Global Media and Communication Policy, Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford, 2011.

SECTION III 

Non-attending students shall write a paper on one text chosen from the following:

Th. McPhail, Global Communication. Theories, Stakeholders and Trands, Blackwell, Oxford, 2006.

T. Flew, Understanding Global Media, Palgrave Macmillan, New York, 2007.

T. Rantanen, The Media and Globalization, Sage, London, 2004. 

F.J. Lechner, J. Boli, World Culture: Origins and Consequences, Blackwell, Oxford, 2005.

J.N. Pieterse, Globalization and Culture. Global Mélange, 2a ediz., Rowman & Littlefield, Lahnam, 2009.

P. Hopper, Understanding Cultural Globalization, Polity, Cambridge, 2007.

Teaching methods

The course consists mainly of traditional lectures, alternated with structered seminars where students are invited to actively participate and give a presentation on a subject agreed with the lecturer.

Assessment methods

The examination tests will assess the knowledge that students have developed on the fundamental elements in the current sociological debate on globalization, on cultural globalization and on the role of the media in the cultural dynamics of globalization. They will investigate the student's capacity to identify, describe and critically compare the principal theoretical options on the topics under consideration. 

Methods of learning assessment for attending students. Attending students will carry out two midterm exams on texts indicated in Section I. Each midterm exam will consist of 8 questions with open ended answers; to answer the questions, students will have 90 minutes available and two double sided sheets of paper. The mark for each midterm exam will be expressed out of a maximum of thirty points. During the course attending students will have to carry out a classroom presentation on one of the topics analyzed in Section II that has been agreed with the lecturer. 

Methods of learning assessment for non-attending students. Those who do not carry out the two midterm exams are regarded as non-attending students. The examination for non-attending students consists of one written test to be carried out on the examination dates and consists of 16 questions on texts in Section I of the syllabus. Students will have 120 minutes and four double sided sheets of paper. Non-attending student must also write a paper on one of the chosen texts indicated in Section III of the syllabus. The paper shall be between 30,000 and 35,000 characters in length (including spaces, bibliography and notes), it must be written following the format and model used for the final thesis, and must be sent to the lecturer by e-mail (lorenza.gattamorta@unibo.it) at least 10 days prior to the official date on which the student will be carrying out the written examination.

Teaching tools

Video projector

Office hours

See the website of Lorenza Gattamorta