B1641 - Semiotics and Culture of Digital Transformation (1) (LM)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, students will have achieved elements of theoretical reflection and basic technical skills on the issues of production, adaptation and dissemination of cultural content, with particular reference to: digital platforms (digital libraries, streaming platforms for cinema and music, online repositories), Minting of Non Fungible Tokens for digital artwork, ethics and aesthetics of artificial intelligence.No particular computer skills are required to attend the course.

Course contents

Over the past 20 years we have witnessed the digital transformation of cultural industry products. If initially it was considered as involving just the material supports of these products (books, films and music that we treat as files within a computer), it is now evident that the fruition, the production of meaning and the interpretation of the products themselves undergo a fundamental transformation in a digital context of editing and publishing. During the course we will apply various semiotic theories to the analysis of existing digital platforms (intersemiotic translation aspects, the role of the user, intertextuality, accessibility) and to the prototyping of experimental content creation and content curation methods. A part of the course will be dedicated to the theme of the relationship between digital cultural content (ebooks, audio files, video and digital art) and Non Fungible Token (NFT). The course includes several seminar meetings in which we will host professionals from the cultural industry of cinema and literature.

Readings/Bibliography

• Benjamin, W. (1974). L'opera d'arte nell'epoca della sua riproducibilità tecnica. Torino: Einaudi.

• Eco, U. (1984) Semiotica e filosofia del linguaggio. Torino: Einaudi. (da p.40 a p.54)

• Floridi, L. (2017) La quarta rivoluzione. Milano: Raffaello Cortina Editore. (da p.1 a p.26)

• Floridi, L. (2022) Etica dell’intelligenza artificiale. Milano: Raffaello Cortina Editore. (da p.21 a p.63)

• Manovich, L. (2020) L'estetica dell'intelligenza artificiale. Roma: Luca Sossella.

• Paolucci, C. (2007) Studi di semiotica interpretativa. Milano: Tascabili Bompiani (da p.1 a p.136).

• Paolucci, C. (2020) Persona. Milano: Bompiani

Teaching methods

Course will be taught through a mixture of formal lectures and workshop in which the use of digital devices is expected.

Assessment methods

The exam will consist in the oral discussion of a (MAX) 4,000-word essay on a topic agreed with the teacher.

Teaching tools

Classes will be taught with the help of the multimedia tools available in all the teaching rooms of the Department. Occasionally a B.Y.O.D (Bring your own device) mode will be adopted.

Office hours

See the website of Paolo Martinelli