12648 - Sociology (1)

Learning outcomes

Students learn basic tools to analyze the different forms and the several channels of contemporary communication (interpersonal and face-to-face communication, media communication, web and social media).

Course contents

- Social theories and models of communication
- Communication and interaction in the everyday life
- interpersonal, mediated and social media communication
- Social forms of communication and technological developments: from oral societies to digital societies
- Media, digital media and interaction
- Case and empirical analysis of the different forms of contemporary communication

Readings/Bibliography

1. E. Goffman, "Interaction Order ", in American Sociological Review, vol. 48, 1983, pp. 1-17: JSTOR address)
2. S. Moscovici, Notes towards a description of Social Representations, "European Journal of Social Psychology", 18 (3), 1988, pp. 211-250)
3. A. Schütz, "The well informed citizen. An Essay on the Social Distribution of Knowledge", in Social Research 13, 4 (1946), pp. 463-78
4. J. B. Thompson, The Media and the Modernity, Cambridge, Polity Press, 1995, chapt. 3
   (for French speakers: J. B. Thompson, "La nouvelle visibilité ", in Réseaux, 2005/1 (n° 129-130), pp. 59-87)
5. C Gius, P. Lalli, “I loved her so much, but I killed her” Romantic love as a representational frame for intimate partner femicide in three Italian newspapers, "ESSACHESS - Journal for Communication Studies", vol 7, No 2(14), 2014 (open access in the journal website)
6. P. Lalli, When Communication Goes with Inclusion: A Case Analysis on Participatory Experiences in the Municipality of Bologna , in Communication with the Public, edited by A. Jenei, Budapest, AdLibrum, 2012, pp. 142-160
7. S. Livingstone and E.J. Helsper, "Gradations in digital inclusion: Children, young people and the digital divide", in "New Media & Society", 9, pp. 671-696
   or for French speakers:
   N. Smyrnaios, L'effet GAFAM: stratégies et logique de l'oligopole de l'internet, "Communication & Langages", vol. 2016, n. 188, pp. 61-83 (preprint)
   
8. At least 1 chapter from:D. Boyd, It's Complicated, Foundation Philip Hamilton McMillan of the class of 1894, Yale College, Creative Commons
9. 
   

6 ECTS (i.-e. only Sociology of communication (1) or Sociology

• Above listed readings from 1 to 5.

 

Teaching methods

Lessons and interactive discussions in class.

Optional participation to additional 3-4 workshops in order to produce a brief empirical case analysis. The first workshop is on 21 October h 13-15, aula 4, Strada Maggiore 45

Assessment methods

Erasmus+ and exchange students can attend one ore more of the additional workshops, where the teacher introduces the methodological tools for a case analysis.

The first workshop is on 21 October h 13-15, aula n. 4, Strada Maggiore 45.

In fact, the attending Erasmus and exchange students can agree with the teacher one specific option for the exam: i.e. a written Italian or English or French or Spanish paper based on case empirical analysis coming from the lectures and the readings. Information about this option will be given during the workshop on 21 October h 13-15 (see above).

As an alternative, any student can participate to the written exam with closed and open-ended questions on the suggested readings that will be published in the Italian version of this page at the beginning of the course  (foreign students can answer in one of the following languages: English, French, Spanish).

N.B. On June 2020 this written exam will be online,  because of the pandemic outbreak.

Teaching tools

Slides and video; optional workshops.

Office hours

See the website of Pina Lalli