B029096 - SOCIOLOGY OF CULTURAL PROCESSES

Italian

The course analyzes the role culture has in social relations and institutional processes. Culture is considered an important resource for individuals and social groups; therefore, it seems useful to take it as a privileged analysis perspective to study the main social phenomena. Particular attention will be given to cultural production forms as well as cultural consumption practices.

for those attending:
Piccone Stella S., Salmieri L, Il gioco della cultura. Attori, processi, prospettive, Carocci, 2015;

for non-attending students:

Piccone Stella S., Salmieri L, Il gioco della cultura. Attori, processi, prospettive, Carocci, 2015;
Griswold W., Sociologia della cultura, il Mulino, except the last chapter.

Chapters and other material that will be uploaded to the moodle platform

The student will be able to: apply the main sociological theories on cultural processes to contemporary reality, explain the relationships between these processes and the main social phenomena, understand the processes of building common sense, analyze the way in which the cultural objects are produced, distributed and "consumed".

It is recommended to have already followed and studied the course of Sociology

Lectures are always followed by a discussion with the students on the topics covered. Sometimes this discussion may precede the discussion of the topic, also thanks to the use of newspaper articles, videos or other material that will allow the subjects to be treated through case analysis.
There will be exercises and the invitation of guests who can favor the deepening of the most important topics.

The exam consists of an oral interview aimed at detecting the students' ability to critically connect the different topics covered. The knowledge of the texts must be very accurate. Particular consideration will be given to the ability of students to link authors and major theories together; as well as the ability to identify the connections between issues and problems. The use of an appropriate sociological language is required.

The classics and their contribution to the study of cultural phenomena will be addressed. Through the so-called cultural turning point we will arrive at the most recent approaches: from cultural studies to the cultural sociology of Alexander.
The second part will deal with the main cultural processes - from the construction of common sense to religions, from socialization to creativity - and the role of different social actors (generations, gender differences, migration).