RSPC03 - MEDIA AND RISK SOCIETY

courses

ID:

RSPC03

Duration (hours):

72

CFU:

SSD:

SOCIOLOGIA DEI PROCESSI CULTURALI E COMUNICATIVI

Located in:

CHIETI

Url:

Course Details:

SOCIAL RESEARCH, SECURITY POLICY AND CRIMINAL STUDIES/CORSO GENERICO Year: 1

Year:

2025

Course Catalogue:

https://unich.coursecatalogue.cineca.it/af/2025?co...

Date/time interval

Primo Semestre (25/09/2025 - 31/01/2026)

Course Objectives

The course aims to explore the interconnections between contemporary media and the dynamics of risk society, focusing specifically on cultural aspects and the art world. Through a critical and multidisciplinary approach, students will learn how media influence the perception of risk and security, helping to shape social narratives.
A key part of the course examines the definition and evolution of risk society, a concept developed by Ulrich Beck, who analyzes how environmental, economic, and social crises are represented and amplified by the media. Practical examples will be discussed, analyzing media campaigns and narratives that emphasize insecurity and how these influence cultural norms and social practices.
The art world will be approached as a critical response to a risk society. Students will explore how artists and cultural movements use their creativity to reflect on contemporary fears and address issues of crisis. They will analyze artworks that address issues of vulnerability and social change, discovering how art can serve as a tool for resistance and reflection in times of uncertainty.
In addition, the course will explore digital technologies and the new forms of storytelling that characterize the current cultural landscape. It will discuss how digital platforms can amplify marginalized voices and propose new ways to interact and tell stories of risk and resilience. Students will have the opportunity to participate in hands-on workshops, where they will create multimedia content and artistic projects inspired by these themes.
Another central aspect of the course will be the analysis of cultural policies and their role in addressing the challenges posed by risk society. Students will examine how cultural institutions can promote initiatives that foster creativity and social cohesion, intervening in a context characterized by shared fears and economic uncertainty.
The course will encourage regular collective reflection on the experiences learned, encouraging them to consider how their skills and insights can be applied in their professional careers and in public debate. Through discussions, presentations, and creative projects, the course will provide a robust framework for understanding and addressing the complexities of contemporary culture as it relates to media and risk society.

Course Prerequisites

The course requires a good knowledge of sociology of cultural processes, general sociology and history of sociological thought of the twentieth century.

Teaching Methods

The teaching methodology is based on the flipped classroom approach. The class will be taught with the help of didactic supports and research material (digital).

Assessment Methods

Oral exam, evaluated in thirtieths, which aims at verifying the ability to clearly and autonomously outline the topics of the course.

Texts

- David L. Breton, Sociologie du risque, Presses universitaires de France, 2017.
- Howard S. Becker, Art Worlds, University of California Press (or any other edition).
- Jean Baudrillard, The Conspiracy of Art, The MIT Press, 2005.
- Noah Charney, The Museum of Lost Art, Phaidon, 2018

Title of the course:
Art worlds: communication, risk, society.
This course aims to analyze the socio-media dimension of art in depth, focusing on informational evidence from mainstream and digital contexts. The primary objective is to explore the sociological and cultural aspects of artworks in the era of their synchronous reproducibility, a period in which social media significantly influences how we enjoy and interact with art.
Through an interdisciplinary approach, we will examine the interconnections between sociology, cultural processes, risk, and information, paying particular attention to the newsworthiness of art. We will analyze emblematic cases, such as theft, destruction, censorship, manipulation, and defacement, as well as phenomena like eco-activism and inheritance disputes, within a context characterized by the social sharing of artistic and cultural consumption.
The course will also focus on new perspectives in the sociology of risk and innovative representations of cultural products. Through case study analysis and open critical discussions, participants will have the opportunity to reflect on the complexities and dynamics that influence the perception and appreciation of art and culture in the contemporary landscape.