Learning objectives
A (supposed) cultural prejudice asserts that who publishes books should be driven exclusively by ideal motivations with a special regard to the content, while the search for profits is considered as an obstacle for the quality of the production. A more balanced point of view tells us that quality and profits must be pursued together by publishing companies as inseparable and contextual objectives. On the one hand, the lack of one of these objectives might create evanescent contents, that bring only short-term incomes, and on the other, the company could be constantly economically unstable. The publishing company fails without profits, and simply stop producing books, whatever they are extraordinary or mediocre.
This course should permit to students to become aware of the economic mechanisms – that are complex and articulate but comprehensible even without a strong economic background - involved in the editorial activity related to the production of books.
As a matter of fact, who works with books has to deal more directly and more frequently with the economic aspects of the activity than who works with journals and newspapers.
Acquiring the basic knowledge of the economic aspects involved in the creation, realisation and sale of books can be useful to become conscious of how managing the planning of the activity and govern the process of production. Moreover, it permits to deal with all the aspects that surrounds the realisation of a book.
Course unit content
PUBLISHING AS INDUSTRY; COSTS AND REVENUES; SELLING EDITORIAL PRODUCTS; TO CASH UP; THE ORGANISATION
Bibliography
REQUIRED TEXTS AND MATERIALS FOR ALL (FREQUNT E NON FREQUENT):
RECORDED COURSE LESSONS, (WITH RELATED MATERIALS: PDF OR OTHER) on Elly platform.
ROBERTO CICALA, I meccanismi dell'editoria. Il mondo dei libri dall'autore al lettore, Il Mulino, 2022.
CARLO FELTRINELLI, Senior service, Feltrinelli, varie edizioni anche in formato economico;
OR:
ROBERTA CESANA, Libri necessari. Le edizioni letterarie Feltrinelli, Ed, Unicopli, 2010, (pp. 15-254);
MARZIO ZANANTONI, Storie di edizioni. Libri e riviste del Novecento in Italia, Biblion edizioni, 2024.
In addition ONE TEXT OF YOUR CHOICE from the following: (FOR ALL, FREQUENT AND NON-FREQUENT):
-L'ALTRA META' DELL'EDITORIA. Le professioniste del libro e della lettura nel Novecento, Ronzani editore, 2022, (pp. 9-183);
-BRUNO PISCHEDDA, La competizione editoriale, Carocci, 2022, (pp. 237-472);
-DAVIDE CAPRIATI, Management dell'editoria, Mimesis, 2022, (pp. 9-149);
-TOMMASO MUNARI, L’Italia dei libri. L’editoria in dieci storie, Einaudi, 2024;
-CRISTINA TAGLIETTI, Risvolti di copertina. Viaggio in 14 case editrici italiane, Laterza, 2019;
-ROBERTO MONTRONI, Vendere l’anima. Il mestiere di libraio, Laterza 2006, (Capitoli 1, 2, 3, 6, 7).
Other materials ed infomation of bibliografy will be provided during the course.
Teaching methods
The course alternate theoretical lessons and practice exercise, even with small group works
Assessment methods and criteria
The final exam will be an oral test about the content of the lessons and the texts indicated in the bibliography
