Learning objectives
Objective of the course is to understand how the perception of the world and reality is always mediated by cognitive processes of cultural and social codification and communication. In particular it intends to promote the awareness that the main linguistic and conceptual categories with which we usually describe the complex contemporary reality, inevitably reproduce maps and frames which are culturally, socially and historically determined.
Becoming aware of the possibilities and limitations of these encodings and representations means acquiring a reflexive competence essential to critically orient in the world of communication and contemporary media.
Prerequisites
The course does not require special prerequisites.
Course unit content
Course of Sociology of Cultural and Communicative Processes (6 CFU)
Course Title:
The language of the contemporary world. Categories, frames and social representations
Course program:
The course aims to analyze the language we use to pronounce and represent the contemporary world. The first part will offer a theoretical introduction on the issue of culture, of social representations and the importance of linguistic and cognitive frame in understanding and codification of reality. In what follows, each lesson will be dedicated to a couple of crucial terms in the construction of contemporary imaginary: nature/culture, gender/sex, gender/violence, sacred/profane, normality/deviance, security/insecurity, interest/gift, development/degrowth, labor/precariousness, democracy/post-democracy, identity/otherness, universalism/particularism, globalization/localization, war/terrorism.
Full programme
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Bibliography
Reading during the course:
Marco Deriu (a cura di), Verso una civiltà della decrescita. Prospettive sulla transizione, Marotta&Cafiero, Napoli, 2016.
Marco Deriu (a cura di), Sguardi stranieri sulla “nostra” città, Battei, Parma, 2015.
The course handouts and a thematic bibliography will be supplied. Students will choose two texts to conduct a personal investigation for the final examination.
Teaching methods
Lectures and interactive lessons combined with discussions. Vision, comment and discussion of films and documentaries. The course will include seminars with scholars and experts in the field of cultural and communication sociology.
Assessment methods and criteria
The exam consists of a general preparatory work and a written thematic investigation (small thesis).
For the thematic investigation:
Students must choose one of the themes of the course (see Thematic Bibliography of the course) and two texts related to it, to conduct a personal investigation. The thematic study (small thesis) will sent by mail at least two days prior to examination, to marco.deriu@unipr.it and will be orally discussed in the appeal date.
The small thesis that forms the basis of the examination will be judged on the basis of the following criteria:
- coherence with the course topics;
-originality in proposed investigation;
-the capacity of deepening, of problematize and critical discuss the subject chosen;
-amplitude and suitability of the bibliographic and documentary references with respect to the literature used and the course materials;
- capacity and quality of writing.
Other information
The thematic bibliography for the study and the course materials can be found on Elly platform.
2030 agenda goals for sustainable development
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