ZUR576 Theory of the Social Technique of Information

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2010
Extent and Intensity
2/0. 6 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
Francesca Seganti (lecturer), doc. Mgr. Jakub Macek, Ph.D. (deputy)
Guaranteed by
prof. PhDr. Jiří Pavelka, CSc.
Department of Media Studies and Journalism – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Ing. Bc. Pavlína Brabcová
Timetable
Mon 17. 5. 18:00–21:15 Studio 527, Tue 18. 5. 19:45–21:15 Studio 527, Wed 19. 5. 18:00–21:15 Studio 527, Thu 20. 5. 18:00–21:15 Studio 527, Fri 21. 5. 10:00–15:40 Studio 527
Prerequisites
Students should be able to attend and understand lectures in English.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 15 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/15, only registered: 0/15, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/15
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
To know the difference between authentic and inauthentic communications
To understand how mass media messages are constructed
To understand the construction of public opinion
Syllabus
  • Communication has always represented a vital element in human relationships and society. Through communication human beings have created, maintained and altered social order and relationships. Through communication human beings have the capacity to share knowledge and coordinate activity. A social system can only exist only as a product of communication that enables to organize every kind of activity.
  • This course will focus on the processes and mechanism that determine communication. The theoretical perspective for the course will draw on the “Social Technique of Information” developed by Francesco Fattorello. Fattorello had been a member of the founding group of the International Association of Media and Communication Research (IAMCR/AIERI) in Paris, 1957. His work, while it had been translated into French and Spanish from the original Italian, has just recently been translated into English and will be published soon by IAMCR. One of the benefits of Fattorello’s theory is that it does not relate only to media. Too often we, who work in theorising the media and their industries, think of the media as a stand-alone phenomenon. The media do not stand alone, but are a reflection of the society in which they are produced and to which they offer their content. Fattorello offers here a theory that relates to all forms of communication, not just the communications offered us (or others) by the mass media.
  • The course will enable the students to relate the the Social Technique of Information to our present society and the contemporary world, both the mediated one and the interpersonal one.
Literature
    required literature
  • Questioning the media : a critical introduction. Edited by John Downing - Ali Mohammadi - Annabelle Sreberny. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 1995, xxix, 511. ISBN 0803971974. info
  • MCQUAIL, Denis. Mass communication theory : an introduction [McQuail, 1994]. 3rd ed. London: SAGE Publications, 1994, xiv, 416 s. ISBN 0-8039-7784-0. info
Teaching methods
Classes often cover material not in the textbooks. Theaching is organized around the discussion of critical questions based on comparative media texts viewed in class. Thus, class participation and attendance is essential.
Assessment methods
Team project. Students will choose a media product (film, record, TV program, videogame, radio show, web-page, ad, sports personality, star persona or media company) and analyze it through one of the angles of inquiry that we will discuss in class. Students will write their presentation in class and present it on the last day of the course.
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course can also be completed outside the examination period.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2012.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2010, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2010/ZUR576