Corso di laurea magistrale in
Comunicazione e Culture dei media

Giving the students the basic competences necessary to understand the anthropological implications of modern media and the great myths of mass culture. After an introduction on the transformations of mass media and genres some great Xxth century mythology will be compared, particularly those related to crime.

 The students will be led through an analysis of modern mythologies, and in particular a. a comparative historical analysis of Nineteenth and Twentieth Century miths; b. the role of specific media in this development. The main teaching tool will be lesson with open discussion.

The evalutation of the student will be based on short essays, which can be integrated by oral exams by the students' own choice. Oral exams are available for foreign-language students.

 

The main teaching tools will be lesson and, in the last part, discussion groups coordinated by the teacher. Lessons and discussion will be available and downladable in the university site.

A written exam or if the students is willing a brief paper on one of the myths discussed in the course.

 

In the first part of the year the teacher will introduce the concept of myth, will discuss how it has been debated in the Twentieth Century philosophy and anthropology, will discuss how it applies to popular culture and the differences between contemporary mythologies and those of classic and Christian age. He will then discuss the debate about the notion of genre and its role for understanding contemporary myths. He will then discuss some of the great myths of the Xxth century, with a special reference to those connected with crime.

For those who have not read it in the BA course,

P. Ortoleva, Il secolo dei media, Il Saggiatore, Milano

for all the students

R. Altman, Film/Genere, Vita e Pensiero, Milano

P. Ortoleva, Miti a bassa intensità, Il Saggiatore, Milano

a collection of essays on the myth of the criminal will be diffused by the teacher