History of Political Communication from Antiquity to the Present
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
The course offers some general lines of the history of political communication starting from the invention of writing to the current internet era and the conceptual tools necessary to understand the main theoretical features of political communication, considered in its historic and cultural environment.
Expected learning outcomes
At the end of the course, the student will be able to grasp the continuities and historic peculiarities of political communication starting from antiquity to the contemporary era. The student will be, moreover, able to put the predominant authors, methods of expression and political content into their historic contexts, using the proper verbal means and specific vocabulary to express philosophical-political concepts in clear and effective way. These skills will be acquired through a direct and continuous dialogue with the professor during the lectures and through discussion about the sources considered. This discussion will be a very important moment for the student to reflect critically and to develop methodological awareness. Participation in the seminars and the conferences organized within the activities promoted by the Department of Historical Studies will be of greatest importance.
Non-attending students will be able to use the didactic tools available on "Ariel" University of Milan webpage and to deepen their knowledge of the main topics through readings suggested by the professor and by dialoguing with him both via email and during office hours.
Non-attending students will be able to use the didactic tools available on "Ariel" University of Milan webpage and to deepen their knowledge of the main topics through readings suggested by the professor and by dialoguing with him both via email and during office hours.
Lesson period: First semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Course syllabus
Course Title: Political Communication in Wartime
Part A: What is Political Communication?
Part B: From Niccolò Machiavelli to Greta Thunberg
Part C: War propaganda strategies (1914 to the war in Ukraine)
Part A: What is Political Communication?
Part B: From Niccolò Machiavelli to Greta Thunberg
Part C: War propaganda strategies (1914 to the war in Ukraine)
Prerequisites for admission
There are no specific requirements different from those requested for admission to the BA degree in humanistic sciences for communication.
Teaching methods
Attendance to classes is strongly recommended although not compulsory. Teaching is delivered through frontal lectures aimed primarily at the acquisition of knowledge, competence in and specific language of the subject matter. Discussion with the teacher in the classroom is an integral part of the didactic method and aims at promoting a critical attitude and the capacity to apply the acquired competence and knowledge.
The teaching can also be supplemented by didactic and multimedia material provided on Ariel.
The teaching can also be supplemented by didactic and multimedia material provided on Ariel.
Teaching Resources
Attending students (Parts A and B, for 6 Ects; Parts A, B and C, for 9 Ects):
Part A
- The content of the lectures.
- G. Mazzoleni, R. Bracciale, La politica pop online. I meme e le nuove sfide della comunicazione politica (il Mulino, 2019).
Part B
- The content of the lectures.
- Reading of J.J. Chevallier, Le grandi opere del pensiero politico (il Mulino), only the chapters about Machiavelli, Locke, Sieyès, Marx-Engels, Hitler (available at the Ariel course website), and the two texts (available at the Ariel course website) of M.L. King, "Io ho un sogno" and of G. Thunberg, "Come osate?".
- Study of R.S. Bourne, Scritti sulla guerra e sullo Stato (1916-1918). Testo e contesti, a cura di A. Castelli (Giappichelli, 2020); R. Rolland, Il dramma tra pacifismo assoluto e guerra a oltranza (1915-1944), a cura di R. H. Rainero, (Giappichelli, 2021).
Part C
- The content of the lectures.
- Reading of D. Lazzarich (a cura di), Guerra e comunicazione (scaricabile dal sito Ariel del corso); e D. McQuail, Propaganda, in Enciclopedia delle Scienze Sociali (available at the Ariel course website).
Non-attending students (Parts A and B, for 6 Ects; Parts A, B and C, for 9 Ects):
Part A
- C. Mudde, C. Rovira Kaltwasser, Populismo. Una breve introduzione (Mimesis, 2020).
- G. Mazzoleni, R. Bracciale, La politica pop online. I meme e le nuove sfide della comunicazione politica (il Mulino, 2019).
Part B
- J.J. Chevallier, Le grandi opere del pensiero politico (il Mulino), only the chapters about Machiavelli, Locke, Sieyès, Marx-Engels, Hitler (available at the Ariel course website), and the two texts (available at the Ariel course website) of M.L. King, "Io ho un sogno" and of G. Thunberg, "Come osate?".
- R.S. Bourne, Scritti sulla guerra e sullo Stato (1916-1918). Testo e contesti, a cura di A. Castelli (Giappichelli, 2020); R. Rolland, Il dramma tra pacifismo assoluto e guerra a oltranza (1915-1944), a cura di R. H. Rainero, (Giappichelli, 2021).
Part C
- D. Lazzarich (a cura di), Guerra e comunicazione (scaricabile dal sito Ariel del corso); D. McQuail, Propaganda, in Enciclopedia delle Scienze Sociali (available at the Ariel course website).
The program is valid starting from the exam period in December 2022 and substitutes the one used in the previous academic year.
Incoming international or Erasmus students are invited to make contact with the appointed professor as soon as possible.
Program for Erasmus students
If requested, incoming Erasmus students may take the exam in English with the following bibliography (Parts A and B, for 6 Ects; Parts A, B and C, for 9 Ects):
A) C. Mudde and C. Rovira Kaltwasser, Populism. A very short introduction (Oxford University Press, 2017).
B) One of the following works (of any publisher): "The Prince" by N. Machiavelli; "The Second Treatise on Civil Government" by J. Locke; "What is the Third Estate?" by E.J. Sieyès; "The Communist Manifesto" by K. Marx and F. Engels; "My Battle" by A. Hitler; "I Have a Dream: Writings and Speeches that Changed the World" by M.L. King (Harper San Francisco, 1992) together with "No One is Too Small to Make a Difference" by G. Thunberg (Penguin, 2019).
C) W. Lippmann, Public Opinion (any publisher).
Part A
- The content of the lectures.
- G. Mazzoleni, R. Bracciale, La politica pop online. I meme e le nuove sfide della comunicazione politica (il Mulino, 2019).
Part B
- The content of the lectures.
- Reading of J.J. Chevallier, Le grandi opere del pensiero politico (il Mulino), only the chapters about Machiavelli, Locke, Sieyès, Marx-Engels, Hitler (available at the Ariel course website), and the two texts (available at the Ariel course website) of M.L. King, "Io ho un sogno" and of G. Thunberg, "Come osate?".
- Study of R.S. Bourne, Scritti sulla guerra e sullo Stato (1916-1918). Testo e contesti, a cura di A. Castelli (Giappichelli, 2020); R. Rolland, Il dramma tra pacifismo assoluto e guerra a oltranza (1915-1944), a cura di R. H. Rainero, (Giappichelli, 2021).
Part C
- The content of the lectures.
- Reading of D. Lazzarich (a cura di), Guerra e comunicazione (scaricabile dal sito Ariel del corso); e D. McQuail, Propaganda, in Enciclopedia delle Scienze Sociali (available at the Ariel course website).
Non-attending students (Parts A and B, for 6 Ects; Parts A, B and C, for 9 Ects):
Part A
- C. Mudde, C. Rovira Kaltwasser, Populismo. Una breve introduzione (Mimesis, 2020).
- G. Mazzoleni, R. Bracciale, La politica pop online. I meme e le nuove sfide della comunicazione politica (il Mulino, 2019).
Part B
- J.J. Chevallier, Le grandi opere del pensiero politico (il Mulino), only the chapters about Machiavelli, Locke, Sieyès, Marx-Engels, Hitler (available at the Ariel course website), and the two texts (available at the Ariel course website) of M.L. King, "Io ho un sogno" and of G. Thunberg, "Come osate?".
- R.S. Bourne, Scritti sulla guerra e sullo Stato (1916-1918). Testo e contesti, a cura di A. Castelli (Giappichelli, 2020); R. Rolland, Il dramma tra pacifismo assoluto e guerra a oltranza (1915-1944), a cura di R. H. Rainero, (Giappichelli, 2021).
Part C
- D. Lazzarich (a cura di), Guerra e comunicazione (scaricabile dal sito Ariel del corso); D. McQuail, Propaganda, in Enciclopedia delle Scienze Sociali (available at the Ariel course website).
The program is valid starting from the exam period in December 2022 and substitutes the one used in the previous academic year.
Incoming international or Erasmus students are invited to make contact with the appointed professor as soon as possible.
Program for Erasmus students
If requested, incoming Erasmus students may take the exam in English with the following bibliography (Parts A and B, for 6 Ects; Parts A, B and C, for 9 Ects):
A) C. Mudde and C. Rovira Kaltwasser, Populism. A very short introduction (Oxford University Press, 2017).
B) One of the following works (of any publisher): "The Prince" by N. Machiavelli; "The Second Treatise on Civil Government" by J. Locke; "What is the Third Estate?" by E.J. Sieyès; "The Communist Manifesto" by K. Marx and F. Engels; "My Battle" by A. Hitler; "I Have a Dream: Writings and Speeches that Changed the World" by M.L. King (Harper San Francisco, 1992) together with "No One is Too Small to Make a Difference" by G. Thunberg (Penguin, 2019).
C) W. Lippmann, Public Opinion (any publisher).
Assessment methods and Criteria
- Method: oral exam.
- Alternative type of examination: It is possible for attending students to write a paper at the end of the lectures in substitution of the oral exam for the parts A and C. The mark obtained may be refused at the student's discretion.
- The length of the exam: The oral exam lasts 20 minutes. The possible paper must be of about 3.000 words.
- Evaluation criteria: Knowledge of the principal characteristics of the history of political communication from modern era to the present day and some of its general theoretical principles. During the oral exam, the professor will ask some questions in order to evaluate the level of the student's understanding of the topics delivered and of his/her capacity for expression.
- Type of evaluation method: mark in 30s.
The modalities of the exams for students with disabilities and/or ADS must be agreed upon by the professor in accordance with the appropriate office (Ufficio disabili e DSA).
- Alternative type of examination: It is possible for attending students to write a paper at the end of the lectures in substitution of the oral exam for the parts A and C. The mark obtained may be refused at the student's discretion.
- The length of the exam: The oral exam lasts 20 minutes. The possible paper must be of about 3.000 words.
- Evaluation criteria: Knowledge of the principal characteristics of the history of political communication from modern era to the present day and some of its general theoretical principles. During the oral exam, the professor will ask some questions in order to evaluate the level of the student's understanding of the topics delivered and of his/her capacity for expression.
- Type of evaluation method: mark in 30s.
The modalities of the exams for students with disabilities and/or ADS must be agreed upon by the professor in accordance with the appropriate office (Ufficio disabili e DSA).
Unita' didattica A-B
SPS/02 - HISTORY OF POLITICAL THOUGHT - University credits: 6
Lessons: 40 hours
Unita' didattica C
SPS/02 - HISTORY OF POLITICAL THOUGHT - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Educational website(s)
Professor(s)
Reception:
Office hours will take place both via Skype (davidcadeddu) and in person, with appointment: Monday, 4 pm - 7 pm. For an appointment, please send an email.
Skype: davidcadeddu | Office: A20 - Department of Historical Studies