Sociology of Communications
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
The purpose of the course is to introduce students to the main theories and concepts of the sociology of communication, essential for understanding and critically observing communication processes in contemporary societies. Digital technologies have now taken on a central role within today's communicative and cultural processes. Therefore, the course also aims to provide students with the tools to understand the complexity of cultural processes in the age of digital communication. To this end, students will be introduced to key topics in contemporary sociology of communication, such as face-to-face communication, mass media, convergence, affordances, big data, artificial intelligence, algorithms, meme culture, fake news, hate speech, and conspiracy theories.
Expected learning outcomes
By the end of the course, the student will be able to:
· Understand the central role played by analog and digital communication media within contemporary society
· Understand and critically evaluate the relationship between communication technologies and the logic of cultural production
· Identify the main challenges, opportunities, and issues posed by communication technologies
· Independently apply the theoretical concepts learned in class to the analysis of concrete case studies
· Understand the central role played by analog and digital communication media within contemporary society
· Understand and critically evaluate the relationship between communication technologies and the logic of cultural production
· Identify the main challenges, opportunities, and issues posed by communication technologies
· Independently apply the theoretical concepts learned in class to the analysis of concrete case studies
Lesson period: Second 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
Second semester
Course syllabus
The course aims to introduce students to the main theories and concepts of the sociology of communication, which are essential for critically understanding and observing communication processes in contemporary societies. Digital technologies have now assumed a central role in today's communicative and cultural processes. Therefore, the primary goal of the course is to provide students with the critical skills to understand the complexity of cultural processes in the 'age of digital communication'.
Starting with an in-depth exploration of classical topics in sociology of communication - ranging from face-to-face communication to mass media communication - the course will then introduce the main 'revolutions' brought about by the advent of digital technologies, particularly digital platforms. Topics to be addressed include: big data, artificial intelligence, algorithms, meme culture, fake news, hate speech, and conspiracy theories (a detailed list of topics is available in the Course Calendar and Topics section of this document).
The course will also feature contributions from various academic and industry experts with significant experience in fields related to the course topics. The involvement of these experts aims to provide students with the opportunity to see how the theories and concepts discussed in class are applied in the 'real world'.
Starting with an in-depth exploration of classical topics in sociology of communication - ranging from face-to-face communication to mass media communication - the course will then introduce the main 'revolutions' brought about by the advent of digital technologies, particularly digital platforms. Topics to be addressed include: big data, artificial intelligence, algorithms, meme culture, fake news, hate speech, and conspiracy theories (a detailed list of topics is available in the Course Calendar and Topics section of this document).
The course will also feature contributions from various academic and industry experts with significant experience in fields related to the course topics. The involvement of these experts aims to provide students with the opportunity to see how the theories and concepts discussed in class are applied in the 'real world'.
Prerequisites for admission
No specific prerequisites are required.
Teaching methods
The course includes a mix of lectures, examples, practical exercises, and group discussions. It also features contributions from external experts from the corporate and academic world.
Teaching Resources
The program is valid starting from the exam session on May 26, 2025, and replaces the one used in the previous academic year.
Attending Students:
Lecture slides + any additional support materials indicated by the professor during class and uploaded on Ariel.
Non-Attending Students:
· Paccagnella, L. (2020). Sociologia della comunicazione nell'era digitale. Bologna. Società editrice il Mulino.
· Two articles to be chosen among the list of readings below:
o Caliandro, A., Gandini, A., Bainotti, L., & Anselmi, G. (2024). The platformization of consumer culture: A theoretical framework. Marketing Theory, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/14705931231225537
o Arvidsson, A., & Caliandro, A. (2016). Brand public. Journal of Consumer Research, 42(5), 727-748.
Arvidsson, A., Caliandro, A., Airoldi, M., & Barina, S. (2016). Crowds and value. Italian directioners on Twitter. Information, Communication & Society, 19(7), 921-939, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1369118X.2015.1064462
o Bainotti, L., Caliandro, A. & Gandini, A. (2020). From archive cultures to ephemeral content, and back: studying Instagram Stories with digital methods. New Media & Society. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444820960071
o Caliandro, A. & Barina, A. (2015), Twitter come device civico per la materializzazione del pubblico e del discorso politico: il caso delle Primarie del Centro Sinistra 2012. Rassegna Italiana di Sociologia, 2/2015, pp. 233-264, https://www.rivisteweb.it/doi/10.1423/80884
o Caliandro, A., Anselmi, G. & Sturiale, V. (2020). Fake news, Covid-19 e Infodemia: un esempio di ricerca sociale in real-time su Twitter. Mediascapes Journal, Creative Commons, ISSN: 2282-2542, https://rosa.uniroma1.it/rosa03/mediascapes/article/view/17105
o Caliandro, A., Garavaglia, E., Anselmi, G. (2021), Studying ageism on social media: an exploration of ageing discourses related to Covid-19 in the Italian Twittersphere. Rassegna Italiana di Sociologia, 2/2021, April-June, pp. 343-375, https://www.rivisteweb.it/doi/10.1423/101848
o Caliandro, A. & Anselmi, G. (2021). Affordances-based brand relations: an inquire on memetic brands on Instagram, Social Media + Society, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20563051211021367
Attending Students:
Lecture slides + any additional support materials indicated by the professor during class and uploaded on Ariel.
Non-Attending Students:
· Paccagnella, L. (2020). Sociologia della comunicazione nell'era digitale. Bologna. Società editrice il Mulino.
· Two articles to be chosen among the list of readings below:
o Caliandro, A., Gandini, A., Bainotti, L., & Anselmi, G. (2024). The platformization of consumer culture: A theoretical framework. Marketing Theory, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/14705931231225537
o Arvidsson, A., & Caliandro, A. (2016). Brand public. Journal of Consumer Research, 42(5), 727-748.
Arvidsson, A., Caliandro, A., Airoldi, M., & Barina, S. (2016). Crowds and value. Italian directioners on Twitter. Information, Communication & Society, 19(7), 921-939, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1369118X.2015.1064462
o Bainotti, L., Caliandro, A. & Gandini, A. (2020). From archive cultures to ephemeral content, and back: studying Instagram Stories with digital methods. New Media & Society. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444820960071
o Caliandro, A. & Barina, A. (2015), Twitter come device civico per la materializzazione del pubblico e del discorso politico: il caso delle Primarie del Centro Sinistra 2012. Rassegna Italiana di Sociologia, 2/2015, pp. 233-264, https://www.rivisteweb.it/doi/10.1423/80884
o Caliandro, A., Anselmi, G. & Sturiale, V. (2020). Fake news, Covid-19 e Infodemia: un esempio di ricerca sociale in real-time su Twitter. Mediascapes Journal, Creative Commons, ISSN: 2282-2542, https://rosa.uniroma1.it/rosa03/mediascapes/article/view/17105
o Caliandro, A., Garavaglia, E., Anselmi, G. (2021), Studying ageism on social media: an exploration of ageing discourses related to Covid-19 in the Italian Twittersphere. Rassegna Italiana di Sociologia, 2/2021, April-June, pp. 343-375, https://www.rivisteweb.it/doi/10.1423/101848
o Caliandro, A. & Anselmi, G. (2021). Affordances-based brand relations: an inquire on memetic brands on Instagram, Social Media + Society, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20563051211021367
Assessment methods and Criteria
For attending students, the final evaluation will consist of:
· group work: development of a case study (theoretical analysis and small-scale empirical research) on a relevant experience related to one of the topics covered in the course. Further details will be provided during the first-class session;
· multiple-choice test: covering topics discussed in class (lecture slides and notes).
Both the group project and the multiple-choice test will be graded on a 30-point scale. The final grade will be calculated as the mathematical average of the grades obtained in the group project and the test.
For non-attending students, the final evaluation will be based on:
· Oral examination: questions on the texts listed in the bibliography for non-attending students.
· group work: development of a case study (theoretical analysis and small-scale empirical research) on a relevant experience related to one of the topics covered in the course. Further details will be provided during the first-class session;
· multiple-choice test: covering topics discussed in class (lecture slides and notes).
Both the group project and the multiple-choice test will be graded on a 30-point scale. The final grade will be calculated as the mathematical average of the grades obtained in the group project and the test.
For non-attending students, the final evaluation will be based on:
· Oral examination: questions on the texts listed in the bibliography for non-attending students.
Unita' didattica A
SPS/08 - SOCIOLOGY OF CULTURE AND COMMUNICATION - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica B
SPS/08 - SOCIOLOGY OF CULTURE AND COMMUNICATION - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Professor(s)