The aims of the course are

- to offers advanced theoretical tools for the understanding of contemporary consumption meanings and practices

- to offers advanced theoretical tools and methods for the analysis of the changing relationship between brands and consumers as active producers of brands contents and meanings

- to offers advanced theoretical and practical tools and methods for the analysis of consumption practices in order to support an effective design of communication campaigns.

1. The study of consumption as social and cultural practice

1.1. Theories and scholars in the field of consumption studies.

1.2. Consumption, crisis and the Italian middle class.

1.3. Prosumption, tactics and critical consumption practices.

2. The research on consumption practices.

2.1 Methods

2.2 Seminar on case studies (consumer's practices and subculture).

2.2. Workshop of research on the consumption practices aimed at support the design of communication campaigns.

There are no bridging courses but a basic knowledge and understanding in the field of sociology of culture is appreciated.

1. Knowledge and understanding

Students have to reach knowledge and understanding of social processes and consumption practices, and of advanced forms of communication, with particular attention to media convergence and users participation to content production, processes that are changing the relation between consumption and production.

Students reach this knowledge attending lectures and practical classes, participating to exercises leaded by the teacher,  and studying textbooks, and trough the active participation to the practical research workshop on consumption practices.

2. Applying knowledge and understanding

Students have to reach skills in applying the methods of analysis of cultural and consumption goods and practices and in applying knowledge and understanding of consumption in the design of communication campaign and advertising they should be able to present their solution to a communication problem concerning a specific group of consumers.

Students reach these skills attending lectures and practical classes, participating to exercises leaded by the teacher, studying textbooks, and trough the active participation to the practical workshop on consumption practices.

3. Making informed judgements: students have to reach critical and informed judgements skills on consumption, its cultural meanings and practices, on the contradictions characterizing consumption, and on the relations between culture and consumption in contemporary societies.

Students reach these skills attending classes, participating to discussion with the teacher and other students in class, exercises and the practical workshop, and studying textbooks.

4. Communication skills: students should have skills in oral and written communication in Italian, should possess expression skills in Italian language and should master the lexicon of the discipline

Students reach these skills asking questions and participating to discussion with the teacher and other students during classes, writing a report on the research project work and organizing a oral presentation of their group project work.

5. Learning skills: students should possess learning skills for further study

Students strengthen these skills trough discussion with the teacher and other students during the lectures, exercises and the workshop and through argumentations of their answers to teacher questions, during lectures and practical classes, the team project work public presentation and the final examination.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

The teaching material and specific communications from the lecturer can be found, together with other supporting activities, inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.i

Teaching

Lectures, practical classes, practical workshop on consumption research, focused seminars.

Attendance

It will be a compulsory attendance 50% of the lesson time.

Course books

1. The study of consumption

1) Sassatelli R., Consumo, cultura e società, il Mulino, Bologna 2004

One among the following 2 texts:

2.1) Douglas M. & Isherwood B., Il mondo delle cose, Il Mulino, Bologna, various years (pp.pp. 5-14 and pp. 63-78).

2.2) de Certeau M., L’invenzione del quotidiano, Edizioni Lavoro Roma 2001, pp. 5-22.

3)  Sassatelli R., Santoro M., Semi G., Fronteggiare la crisi. Come cambia lo stile di vita del ceto medio, Introduzione,  (pp. 9-33, 97-145 and 197-250).

2. Prosumption and critical consumption

2 articles among the followings:

a) Bartoletti R., L’efficacia simbolica delle cose: forma e significato dei rituali di consumo, in "Sociologia del lavoro", numero monografico “Dalla produzione al consumo”, a cura di V. Codeluppi e R. Paltrinieri, 2010 

b) Toffler A., L’avvento del prosumer, in La terza ondata, Sperling e Kupfer, pp. 340-370.

c) Bartoletti R., Il lato B della Barbie. La rivincita dei consumatori nel social web, in "Network effect", AAVV, Codice, Genova, 2009.

d) Giannini L., Verso un movimento di riparatori? Il tentativo di ricucire il rapporto tra produzione e consumo, Sociologia della comunicazione, n. 48, 2014, pp. 89-99.

e) Matherials distributed during the course.

Assessment

The exam will be held through an individual interview based on textbooks suggested and the assessment of the group research project work. The project work is mandatory for attending students. The aim is to evaluate both student's comprehension of the content and his/her ability in reworking concepts and in argumenting.

Excellent grades will be given in presence of: a good critical perspective and in depth study; knowing how to link among them the main subjects addressed during the course; the use of an appropriate language.

Good grades will be given in presence of:  good mnemonic knowledge of the contents; a relatively good critical perspective and connection skills related to the treated topics; the use of appropriate language.

Sufficient grades will be given in presence of: the achievement of a minimal knowledge on the treated themes, even in presence of some gaps; the use of a not appropriate language.

Negative grades will be given in presence of: a difficult orientation related to the the treated topics; knowledge gaps; the use of a not appropriate language.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

Study of the exam books.

Course books

1. The study of consumption

1) Sassatelli R., Consumo, cultura e società, il Mulino, Bologna 2004

2) Douglas M. e Isherwood B., Il mondo delle cose, Il Mulino, Bologna, 1984 (pp. 5-14, pp. 63-104).

3) de Certeau M., L’invenzione del quotidiano, Edizioni Lavoro Roma 2001, pp. 5-22 and 45-79.

4)  Sassatelli R., Santoro M., Semi G., Fronteggiare la crisi. Come cambia lo stile di vita del ceto medio, Introduzione,  (pp. 9-33, 97-145 and 197-250).

2. Prosumption and critical consumption

3 among the following articles:

a) Bartoletti R., L’efficacia simbolica delle cose: forma e significato dei rituali di consumo, in "Sociologia del lavoro", numero monografico “Dalla produzione al consumo”, a cura di V. Codeluppi e R. Paltrinieri, 2010 

b) Toffler A., L’avvento del prosumer, in La terza ondata, Sperling e Kupfer, pp. 340-370.

c) Bartoletti R., Il lato B della Barbie. La rivincita dei consumatori nel social web, in "Network effect", AAVV, Codice, Genova, 2009.

d) Giannini L., Verso un movimento di riparatori? Il tentativo di ricucire il rapporto tra produzione e consumo, Sociologia della comunicazione, n. 48, 2014, pp. 89-99.

e) Campbell C., The Craft Consumer: Culture, craft and consumption in a postmodern society, Journal of Consumer Culture, Nl. 5,  2005, pp. 23-42.

Assessment

The exam will be held through an individual interview based on textbooks suggested. The aim is to evaluate both student's comprehension of the content and his ability in reworking concepts and in argumenting. It is possibile to present a written document on a topic agreed with the teacher. 

Excellent grades will be given in presence of: a good critical perspective and in depth study; knowing how to link among them the main subjects addressed during the course; the use of an appropriate language.

Good grades will be given in presence of:  good mnemonic knowledge of the contents; a relatively good critical perspective and connection skills related to the treated topics; the use of appropriate language.

Sufficient grades will be given in presence of: the achievement of a minimal knowledge on the treated themes, even in presence of some gaps; the use of a not appropriate language.

Negative grades will be given in presence of: a difficult orientation related to the the treated topics; knowledge gaps; the use of a not appropriate language.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

For part-time students attendance of the lectures is not mandatory.

Students who will not attend at least the 50% of the lectures will have to contact the teacher.