Learning objectives
The course aims to provide students with the skills and abilities necessary to read the history of contemporary literature from a perspective that does not only look to the author, but considers the literary work as the result of an operation of mediation between the literary system and editorial one. (.). The theoretical reflections, the literary and cultural insights, together with the witnesses of employees of the publishing industry and with the analysis of contemporary publishing system, will contribute to facilitate a mature and aware insertion of the students in the publishing world, and to implement the cultural competence of those who aspire to pursue a career in journalism.
Prerequisites
- - -
Course unit content
In the first lectures the mediation and interpretation functions of the publishing system in its various forms of interactions with the literary system are illustrated. The course goes on by showing the role of some small publishing cultural companies in the Italian literary society from the post-war to the economic boom periods. Finally, during the third part we describe in detail the publishing situation of the 2.0 by considering the aspects such as the development of the e-books and the self-publishing that characterize the present era. During such a last part of the course, the students will partecipate to the event “Milano bookcity” and there will be the presence of people working in the publishing industry.
Full programme
- - -
Bibliography
• La mediazione editoriale, Milano, Lampi di stampa (con particolare attenzione ai saggi di R. Chartier, A. Cadioli, U. Schulz-Buschhaus, V. Spinazzola)
• ALBERTO CADIOLI, GIOVANNI PERESSON, Le forme del libro. Schede di cultura editoriale, Napoli, Liguori, 2007 (solo le schede di Alberto Cadioli)
• ALBERTO CADIOLI, GIULIANO VIGINI, Storia dell’editoria italiana dall’Unità a oggi. Un profilo introduttivo, Milano, Editrice Bibliografica, 2012
Teaching methods
Lectures, which will take place through class teaching, will develop theoretical reasoning, accompanied by specific examples from the literary history. To make some examples clearer, we will make use of the projection of cover images, and other paratextual elements. The final part of the course involves the intervention of people who work in the publishing world, which can provide a concrete emage of the skills, abilities and cultural resources required in a publishing house nowadays. Each student will also be invited to follow an event (debate, presentation, seminar, etc.) of exhibition Milan bookcity (to be held 21 to 24 November 2013, Milan), about which he/she will draft a 3000 characters article of 3000, to be sent by e-mail and be delivered in hard copy within 15 days from the exam.
Assessment methods and criteria
The lectures are interspersed with open-ended questions for students, on topics that we will be dealing with. The answers are not evaluated for the final result, but have the purpose of verifying the understanding of the topics. The final evaluation will be expressed in thirties and will take into account the article product, the knowledge of contemporary Italian literature (verified, however, with specific questions only for those who have never taken an exam in this scientific sector), and the oral examination, which will focus on materials developed during the course and in the bibliography. If the article presents serious errors of spelling or syntax, or does not respect the terms of delivery, the student will be notified of the failure of his/her written test by e-mail, within three days from the date of appeal, and will have to re-do the exam.
Other information
- - -
