Teaching code

4S00745

Teacher

Sandro Stanzani

Coordinator

Sandro Stanzani

Credits

6

Language

Italian

Scientific Disciplinary Sector (SSD)

SPS/08 - SOCIOLOGY OF CULTURE AND COMMUNICATION

Period

II semestre dal Feb 18, 2019 al Jun 1, 2019.

Lessons timetable Moodle Seminars 0

Learning outcomes

The course is oriented to introduce students to the critical knowledge of:
1. the concept of culture and its components in a sociological perspective;
2. the characteristics of main cultural processes in act in contemporary western societies;
3. the historical evolution of Western travel culture.

At the end of the course the student must demonstrate:
1. Know how to use the concept of culture as defined by contemporary human and social sciences;
2. have a conceptual repertoire and a specific lexicon to appropriately describe the cultural phenomena of contemporaneity;
3. to be aware of the main cultural processes that are at work in the complex western societies of this beginning of the millennium and in particular to be aware of the distinctive features of the modern culture of the West;
4. know how to describe the essential elements of the historical-social evolution of Western travel culture, with particular reference to the journey of pleasure, relaxation and evasion typical of contemporary tourism;
5. Know how to interpret the many types of tourist behavior.

Program

The course will be divided into three parts, in which the following topics will be developed:
Part one
Sociological introduction to the topics
What is society and what is a social fact. Social Relationship as the Basic Concept and Object of Sociological Research and Knowledge. The different approaches to the study of social relationships.

Part II
Culture and Society
1) The concept of culture in social sciences.
A. What is culture (humanistic, anthropological and sociological perspective in comparison);
B. What are the social functions of culture (relationship between culture and society)?
C. what are the basic elements of culture (meanings, symbols, languages, codes, values, social norms, rites, myths).
2) Production, Distribution and Reception of Culture.
A. The fields of production of culture (science, law, art, religion, communication).
3) Cultural Trends of Societies in Mature Modernity.

Part III
Tourism as a cultural product
1) Symbolic aspects of travel and tourism
2) The sociological definition of tourist behavior
3) Historical forms of tourism

Texts for the evaluation test
A. Elementi di Sociologia generale, McGraw-Hill.
B. Griswold W., Sociology of Culture, Bologna, Il Mulino.
C. Savelli A., Sociologia del Turismo, Milano, Hoepli (studying with the help of slides chapters 1 to 5, 7 to 9).
D. Slides available at the teacher's page link alerts.

Examination Methods

The assessment test is aimed at verifying the knowledge of specific concepts and vocabulary that allows the student to elaborate an interpretation and a description of the main cultural processes in place in complex western societies. In particular, the student will be required to analyze the cultural processes in place in the socio-economic sector of tourism and to provide an adequate interpretation of the types of tourism behavior in Western countries.

Bibliography for the evaluation:
A. Elementi di Sociologia generale, McGraw-Hill.
B. Griswold W., Sociologia della cultura, Bologna, Il Mulino.
C. Savelli A., Sociologia del turismo (Chapters from 1 to 5; 7 and 9).
D. Slides available at the teacher's page link: announcements..

Method:
Normally the course requires a final oral assessment (exam) of the contents acquired by the students.
However, in order to facilitate students attending classes , at the end of the course, is scheduled a written exam (test of about 32 questions and 4 items per question) on the first two books of the reading list (A e B).
Only students who reach a mark of at least 18/30 pass the test.
The mark obtained is valid till February 2020.
The test takes place only once a year.
Those who pass the written test must support a further oral examination on the remaining part of the program (letter C of bibliography). The second oral assesment (exam) will be held in the ordinary calls of June, July, September 2019 and the months of January and February 2020.
Who doesn’t take or pass the first written exam, presents the whole program at the oral exams that take place in the normal sessions.
Those who do not complete the examination procedure (the oral exam on the second part of the program) before February 2020 must take the exam on the whole syllabus in oral form.

Who won't take the written test must present the whole syllabus in the ordinary exams in June, July, September, January, February.