The course aims to provide students with theoretical and practical skills on public communication today, in the context of the digital society, with particular attention to the field of institutional communication in which public organizations is protagonists.

Specifically, the theoretical skills concern the knowledge of principles, models and areas of intervention of public institutional inspired by recent national and international literature, as well as the knowledge of the main strategic approaches and the effective use of institutional communication tools, traditional and digital by public administrations to communicate with the citizens, individuals and associates. These objectives will also be achieved with the analysis of some Italian and international best practices.

The knowledge that students will acquire during the course is now considered essential to be able to perform the profession of public communicator (or specialist of institutional communication) in the public sector,  to be able to carry out communication activities on behalf of public institutions as external collaborators or a communication agency, as well as to deal with communication concerning social issues in the sector of non-profit organizations.

The topics that will be addressed during the course are the following ones:

a) Definition, evolution and models of public communication, intended as institutional public communication promoted by public sector organizations.

b) Communication and digitization processes of the public sector: use of digital tools, such as social networks and messaging systems, apps, Artificial Intelligence applications, etc.

c) Institutional public communication strategies and tools adopted by institutions to inform, dialogue with citizens and make them participate in public sector organizations' actions in an increasingly hybrid and convergent media ecosystem: information and communication activities carried out by institutions according to an integrated and multichannel communication approach; the role played by the structures indicated by lg. 150/2000: Public relations offices, Press offices, Spokespersons; the evolution of professional profiles taking into account the need for new skills in digital public communication (eg: public sector communicator, public sector journalist, social media manager, etc.).

d) New challenges and areas of intervention of institutional public communication: crisis and emergency communication, health communication, gender sensitive communication, communication in and for participatory processes (with reference to smart cities and the 2030 agenda), communication and public diplomacy.

e) In-depth analysis of the communication of the European Union: how community institutions communicate with citizens today; the role played by digital media and new forms of citizen participation in decision-making processes and new opportunities offered by the EU.

f) Definition, subjects and objects of social communication, aimed at promoting ideas, attitudes, behaviors of significant social interest (social problems). Strategies and tools adopted in the digital age by public organizations and non-profit organizations  on issues such as the environment and health. Particular attention will be paid to the management of communication by public institutions during times of crisis and emergency, to carry out social campaigns on issues such as the environment and health.

In addition to the traditional frontal lessons, some thematic seminars will be held (especially on the monographic part of the course) and group work in the classroom coordinated by the professor.

Students must achieve:
1. Knowledge and understanding: of the concepts and theories provided by the course (relating to public institutional and social communication) through the acquisition of theoretical-practical skills on strategies and effective communication tools that public administrations and non-profit organizations they can adopt in order to achieve the institutional and social objectives that the organization sets itself.
1.1. Students achieve this basic knowledge by attending lectures and studying the texts discussed in the classroom.
2. Ability to apply knowledge and understanding: through the ability to analyze the strategies and activities promoted by public administrations and non-profit organizations.
2.1. Skills acquired through moments of laboratory practice in the classroom.
3. Judgment skills: critical reflection on the ongoing changes at a theoretical and empirical level in public institutional and social communication.
3.1. This judgment must be applied in the classroom comparison with the teacher and colleagues, during the exercises and in the preparation of the final exam.
4. Communication skills: students are asked to interact in the classroom through questions, exchanges with fellow students, writing short presentations during the exercise phase.
4.1. Ability that is exercised in the classroom with the organization of moments of discussion and practice.
5. Learning skills: students are required to adopt a critical learning method capable of connecting theoretical skills and empirical analysis, orienting themselves towards the specification of an autonomous thought.
5.1. Ability to be strengthened thanks to the argument with the teacher and the other students.

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

Teaching

Lectures and work groups in presence and remotely.

Innovative teaching methods

A part of the course takes place according to innovative teaching methods, simulation of scenarios and learning by doing. In fact, group work is expected to be carried out in the classroom which involves online research. This activity consists in identifying and analyzing content produced by public administrations on institutional social sites and pages, in order to understand the state of the art of digital communication of the selected organizations and to reflect on possible future developments (with a view to continuous improvement).

Attendance

It will be not a compulsory attendance. Students are considered attending if they are present at at least 50% of the lesson hours.

Course books

Luoma-aho V. and Canel M.J. (eds.) (2020), The Handbook of Public Sector Communication, Wiley-Blackwell, Hoboken NJ USA.

Ducci G., Materassi L and Solito L. (2020), Re-connetcting Scholars' voices. An historical review of public communiation in Italy and new challenges in the open government framewrok, Partecipazione e Conflitto (Participation and Conflict) - open access journal, in press (july 2020). 

D'Ambrosi L. and Maresi A. (eds.) (2013), Communicating Europe in Italy. Shortcomings and opportunities, Eum, Macerata.

Lee N.R. and Kotler P. (eds.) (2016), Social Marketing: Changing Behaviors for Good, SAGE Publications Inc.

Assessment

Oral examinaion

The verification will be through individual interview based on textbooks, aimed at assessing the learning content by the student and his reworking skills and argumentation.

Assessment criteria:

For excellent assessments: possession of good critical thinking skills and in-depth by the student; knowing how to link together the main issues addressed in the course; the use of appropriate language with respect to the specificity of the discipline.

For discrete assessments: possession of a mnemonic knowledge of the contents by the student; a relative critical and linking the topics: the use of appropriate language.

For sufficient assessments: the achievement of a wealth of minimal knowledge on the topics covered by the student, despite some training gaps; the use of inappropriate language.

For negative assessments: difficulties of orientation by the student with respect to the issues addressed in the exam papers; training gaps; the use of an inappropriate language ".

Disabilità e DSA

Le studentesse e gli studenti che hanno registrato la certificazione di disabilità o la certificazione di DSA presso l'Ufficio Inclusione e diritto allo studio, possono chiedere di utilizzare le mappe concettuali (per parole chiave) durante la prova di esame.

A tal fine, è necessario inviare le mappe, due settimane prima dell’appello di esame, alla o al docente del corso, che ne verificherà la coerenza con le indicazioni delle linee guida di ateneo e potrà chiederne la modifica.

Teaching

Study of the course books.

Course books

Luoma-aho V. and Canel M.J. (eds.) (2020), The Handbook of Public Sector Communication, Wiley-Blackwell, Hoboken NJ USA.

Ducci G., Materassi L and Solito L. (2020), Re-connetcting Scholars' voices. An historical review of public communiation in Italy and new challenges in the open government framewrok, Partecipazione e Conflitto (Participation and Conflict) - open access journal, in press (july 2020). 

D'Ambrosi L. and Maresi A. (eds.) (2013), Communicating Europe in Italy. Shortcomings and opportunities, Eum, Macerata.

Lee N.R. and Kotler P. (eds.) (2016), Social Marketing: Changing Behaviors for Good, SAGE Publications Inc.

Assessment

Oral examinaion

The verification will be through individual interview based on textbooks, aimed at assessing the learning content by the student and his reworking skills and argumentation.

Assessment criteria:

For excellent assessments: possession of good critical thinking skills and in-depth by the student; knowing how to link together the main issues addressed in the course; the use of appropriate language with respect to the specificity of the discipline.

For discrete assessments: possession of a mnemonic knowledge of the contents by the student; a relative critical and linking the topics: the use of appropriate language.

For sufficient assessments: the achievement of a wealth of minimal knowledge on the topics covered by the student, despite some training gaps; the use of inappropriate language.

For negative assessments: difficulties of orientation by the student with respect to the issues addressed in the exam papers; training gaps; the use of an inappropriate language ".

Disabilità e DSA

Le studentesse e gli studenti che hanno registrato la certificazione di disabilità o la certificazione di DSA presso l'Ufficio Inclusione e diritto allo studio, possono chiedere di utilizzare le mappe concettuali (per parole chiave) durante la prova di esame.

A tal fine, è necessario inviare le mappe, due settimane prima dell’appello di esame, alla o al docente del corso, che ne verificherà la coerenza con le indicazioni delle linee guida di ateneo e potrà chiederne la modifica.