The course aims to provide students with conceptual tools for analyzing culture and its role in society, preparing them to pursue in-depth paths in the humanities, media, cultural policy and other professions that require a thorough understanding of cultural dynamics. In addition, the course aims to promote among students a greater awareness of gender issues and their relevance in the contemporary social, cultural and political context with particular reference to the field of digital media.

The course consists of a first part on the fundamentals of the sociological study of culture and cultural processes and their manifestations in different societies and communities, and a second part devoted to critically analyzing the dynamics of power and identity within cultures, including the concepts of race, ethnicity, gender, social class and sexual orientation, with particular reference to the field of digital media.

FIRST MODULE - Cultural Studies
Definitions and origin of the concept of culture
Cultural differences in contemporary societies
The main traditions of cultural studies
British and American cultural studies
Production and consumption of culture
Generations, subcultures, youth
Youth and youth subcultures
Minorities, the phenomenon of migration, multiculturalism

SECOND MODULE: Gender studies and digital media
The question of gender
Gender theories and theorists
Gender policies
Practices and relationships: virtual sex, pornography, dating, and sexual health
Representation and visibility: LGBTQ community, masculinity, femininity
Public sphere and citizenship: activism, politics, participatory practices
Inequalities, violence and power: gender-based violence, masculine technocultures, cyberfeminism, inclusivity

A course of Sociology

1. Knowledge and understanding

Students have to reach basic knowledge and understanding of cultural processes of contemporary societies, with particular attention to culture industry and main social and cultural institutions. They should master basic concepts in order to be able to a critical cultural analysis of contemporary societies, with particular attention to cultural and communicative processes.

Students reach this knowledge attending lectures and practical classes, through discussion in class, participating to exercises leaded by the teacher, and studying textbooks.

2. Applying knowledge and understanding

Students should be able to

-  apply theoretical knowledge in order to understand cultural processes and problems of contemporary societies, and consumption and production processes in the frame of media and culture industry

-  design communication and cultural projects and products on the basis of their basic knowledge and understanding of culture

Students reach these skills attending lectures and practical classes, participating to exercises leaded by the teacher, discussion in class, studying textbooks.

3. Making informed judgements

Students have to reach critical and informed judgements skills on culture in contemporary societies.

Students reach these skills attending lectures and practical classes, participating to discussion with the teacher and other students in class, 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 basic concepts of the discipline

Students reach these skills asking questions and participating to discussion with the teacher and other students during classes, organizing a oral presentation of their group work or writing brief written text during practical classes.

5. Learning skills

Students should possess learning skills for further study.

Students gain these skills trough discussion with the teacher and other in class during lectures and practical classes, through argumentations of their answers to teacher questions, and studying textbooks.

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

Blended learning (Moodle platform).

Teaching

Lectures, seminars and practical classes.

Innovative teaching methods

Attendance

Attendance should not be required

Course books

Studi culturali

Loredana Sciola, Sociologia dei processi culturali, Il Mulino, 2020, capp. I, II (solo paragrafo 2) e IV (paragrafi 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

Il manuale verrà integrato con una serie di contenuti e dispense che il docente caricherà direttamente sulla piattaforma blended e possono essere considerate sostitutive del manuale stesso

Studi di genere

Manolo Farci, Cosimo Marco Scarcelli, (a cura di), Media digitali, genere e sessualità, Mondadori, 2022  (da studiare: Capitolo 2: Genere, sessualità e società; Capitolo 5. Media digitali e pornografie;  Capitolo 9. Media digitali, genere e pubblicità;  Capitolo 10. Media digitali e femminilità; Capitolo 14. Media digitali e attivismo femminista e LGBTQIA+; Capitolo 16. Media digitali e tecnoculture maschili; Capitolo 18. Media digitali e violenza di genere)

Manolo Farci, Introduzione alla sociologia delle maschilità  (dispensa caricata online)

Approfondimento

Giovanni Fiorentino, Manolo Farci, Davide Bennato, (a cura di), Dizionario mediologico della guerra in Ucraina, Guerini, 2023.  Scegliere uno dei tre percorsi da studiare (e studiare le rispettive voci) e all'esame vi sarà chiesto di articolare la risposta aperta sul percorso che avete scelto:

Percorso Guerra e Media Digitali

Autenticità - Cyberbalcanizzazione - Digital War - Memetica -TikTok - Z

Percorso Guerra e comunicazione

Autenticità - Giornalismo - Felpa - Teleguerra - Transmedialità - Zelensky 

Percorso Guerra e cultura

Additività - Geopolitica - Narrazione - Nemico - Neutralità - Origini

Assessment

The exam will be through structured test. The structured test includes multiple choice and open-ended questions through which to ascertain mainly the mastery of knowledge and the ability to understand concepts, situations, representations. The time available to answer the proposed questions is 90 minutes

Will give rise to evaluations of excellence: the student's possession of good critical and in-depth skills; the ability to link together the main themes addressed in the course; the use of appropriate language with respect to the specificity of the discipline.
Will give rise to fair evaluations: the student's possession of a mnemonic knowledge of the contents; a relative critical ability and ability to connect the topics covered: the use of appropriate language.
Will give rise to sufficient evaluations: the student's attainment of a minimal knowledge of the topics covered, despite some formative gaps; the use of inappropriate language.
Will give rise to negative evaluations: difficulty in the student's orientation to the topics addressed in the examination texts; formative gaps; the use of inappropriate language.

Midterm examination of the teaching of Cultural and Gender Studies.

For attending students, who will have achieved at least 3/4 of the hours of attendance, the following course of assessment can be taken:

1) a written midterm (duration 35 minutes), to be held between April 17-22, with multiple choice questions aimed at assessing learning of the first part of the program

2) a final test (duration 90 minutes) to be held during official appeals, with multiple choice and/or short answer questions aimed at assessing the learning of the second part of the program. Only those who have achieved at least a passing grade in the first midterm will be eligible for this test.

Both tests will be graded in thirtieths. Those who have passed both the first and second tests (also with a grade of 18 or higher) will be able to accept the grade that represents the average of the two written tests: the midterm will weigh 1/3, the final test 2/3. The grade of the partial is valid until the second written test is completely passed( has no expiration date)

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

Blended learning (Moodle).

Attendance

-

Course books

Studi culturali

Loredana Sciola, Sociologia dei processi culturali, Il Mulino, 2020, capp. I, II (solo paragrafo 2) e IV (paragrafi 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

Il manuale verrà integrato con una serie di contenuti e dispense che il docente caricherà direttamente sulla piattaforma blended e possono essere considerate sostitutive del manuale stesso

Studi di genere

Manolo Farci, Cosimo Marco Scarcelli, (a cura di), Media digitali, genere e sessualità, Mondadori, 2022  (da studiare: Capitolo 2: Genere, sessualità e società; Capitolo 5. Media digitali e pornografie;  Capitolo 9. Media digitali, genere e pubblicità;  Capitolo 10. Media digitali e femminilità; Capitolo 14. Media digitali e attivismo femminista e LGBTQIA+; Capitolo 16. Media digitali e tecnoculture maschili; Capitolo 18. Media digitali e violenza di genere)

Manolo Farci, Introduzione alla sociologia delle maschilità  (dispensa caricata online)

Approfondimento

Giovanni Fiorentino, Manolo Farci, Davide Bennato, (a cura di), Dizionario mediologico della guerra in Ucraina, Guerini, 2023.  Scegliere uno dei tre percorsi da studiare (e studiare le rispettive voci) e all'esame vi sarà chiesto di articolare la risposta aperta sul percorso che avete scelto:

Percorso Guerra e Media Digitali

Autenticità - Cyberbalcanizzazione - Digital War - Memetica -TikTok - Z

Percorso Guerra e comunicazione

Autenticità - Giornalismo - Felpa - Teleguerra - Transmedialità - Zelensky 

Percorso Guerra e cultura

Additività - Geopolitica - Narrazione - Nemico - Neutralità - Origini

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.

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.