Media studies, digital communication and journalism

The overall aim of the course is to provide an analytical and critical account of the systemic relationships between different forms of communication and the multiple articulations of civic engagement. In particular, the Communication and Civic Engagement course aims to a) provide an adequate knowledge of the issues, concepts and practices of civic engagement, including their impact on the public sphere; b) provide analytical tools on the actors of civic engagement and the different forms of active citizenship and their communication strategies; c) provide a basic knowledge of political practices in terms of democratic innovation and collaborative governance mechanisms, also in the light of the “contentious politics” paradigm; d) provide basic tools for studying the relationship between forms of civic engagement and the transformation of the public sphere; e) provide methods and tools for interpreting experiences of civic engagement in digital communication ecosystems. The course adopts a critical perspective and an intersectional approach. At the end of the course, the student will have acquired an adequate understanding of the central issues in the field of study, also in relation to the general objectives of the Master’s programme. In particular, the course aims to enable students to acquire the following competences: - Knowledge and ability to understand: the forms and processes of political participation and civic engagement from a sociological and communicative perspective, through the acquisition of theoretical competences on models of civic engagement, with particular attention to participatory forms, logics of conflict (including communicative conflict) and relations between social inclusion and power. Students will acquire this basic knowledge by attending lectures and studying texts provided by the lecturer and discussed in class and/or through collaborative digital platforms. - Ability to apply knowledge and understanding: through the ability to analyse the relationships between instances of civic engagement and models of communication, applying the main methods of analysis also to the study of online civic engagement platforms. These skills will be acquired through laboratory exercises in class. - Judgment: critical reflection on the evolving dynamics of the relationship between civic engagement, citizens' participation (formal and informal) and the transformation of institutions and the public sphere. This judgement will have to be applied in the classroom, in a seminar-like perspective. - Communication skills: students will be asked to interact in the classroom through a participatory logic based on “collaborative learning”. This skill will be practised in the classroom and with the support of digital platforms for democratic participation, as well as through the organisation of discussion and practice sessions. - Learning skills: Students will be asked to adopt a critical learning method capable of combining theoretical skills and empirical analysis, with a view to developing autonomous thinking. It is hoped that these skills will be enhanced through classroom exchanges. The combination of these knowledge and skills should stimulate an interest in the inextricable link between civic engagement and communication.