Languages of the Media

The course focuses on the study of media discourse and languages from a critical perspective. The course aims to provide students with the main conceptual tools for the analysis and critical understanding of the most popular forms of mediated communication, focusing its attention in particular on their role in the processes of public opinion formation. The course highlights the specificities of different forms of communication and media language through a series of case studies and examples discussed in class.

At the end of the course, students will be able to critically understand and interpret the most common media languages, with a particular focus on those employed in public opinion mediation. They will be able to contextualize media messages and their meaning in relation to their social, cultural and historical context. Since the course is delivered in English, it constitutes an important opportunity for students to improve their knowledge and understanding of the English language, with particular regard to the specific terminology of the media industry.