Learning objectives
The course aims to provide analytical tools to read sociocultural processes and communication in contemporary society.
At the end of the course, the student must have acquired the ability to:
• know and understand the main communication processes in different social forms;
• integrate different disciplines (sociology, economics and history) in coherent analytical arguments on contemporary society;
• apply the acquired knowledge to concrete cases and to support their thesis with adequate language and arguments.
Course unit content
The course will be divided into two parts: institutional and monographic. The institutional part will discuss the social foundations of human communication. The monographic will further develop the topic, including historical, cultural, communicative and socioeconomic processes that are characterizing Western societies from World War II to the present.
Bibliography
a) for students from Relazioni internazionali ed europee
1. B. Pearce, Comunicazione e condizione umana, Angeli, Milano, 1993.
2. M. Magatti, Libertà immaginaria. Le illusioni del capitalismo tecno-nichilista, Feltrinelli, Milano, 2009 (capitoli I, II, III, IV).
b) for students from Servizio Sociale
1. B. Pearce, Comunicazione e condizione umana, Angeli, Milano, 1993.
2. M. Magatti, Libertà immaginaria. Le illusioni del capitalismo tecno-nichilista, Feltrinelli, Milano, 2009 (capitoli I, II, III).
Teaching methods
The course will alternate lectures and case discussions.
Assessment methods and criteria
a) for students from Relazioni internazionali ed europee
The exam will consist of a written and oral test on the topics of the course.
The knowledge and understanding will be assessed by at least two questions designed to test students' comprehension of communicative interactions and social process.
The ability to apply the knowledge and independence of judgment will be assessed by inviting the student to discuss one or more cases from news or personal experience.
The ability to communicate will be assessed by evaluating the student's ability to provide comprehensive definitions, to use the appropriate technical terminology and to clarify the meaning of particular words or concepts.
Learning skills will be assessed through a transversal evaluation of the answers to test questions in their entirety.
b) for students from Servizio sociale
The exam will consist of a written test (with open questions) on the topics of the course.
