Learning outcomes

Through various different teaching methods (lectures, discussions, meetings with experts, short films), the course aims to introduce students to a critical understanding of key concepts of the discipline in order to analyze the question of “lies” (untruths/bias) in the medias highlighting the peculiar sensitivity and the potentiality of the anthropological approach.

Program

The main theme we will address will be the issue of "false rumors" circulating in the media: from print media to the internet. In some cases, these untruths/distortions are harmless, in others they are deliberate manipulations created ad hoc, news built on stereotypes, which can have devastating effects. The information often requires generalization, simplification, tension, research of authenticity. Critically addressing "fake news" is a vital issue for students who are involved in communications. During the course we will deal with a particular type of "lies"(untruth/distortion), those that are fed from an imagery crowded with cultural stereotypes and the desire that our representation of reality matches that which corresponds to ours. Fake news creates dangerous short circuits.

Course Readings: (work-in-progress)
1)Ugo Fabietti, 2015, Elementi di Antropologia culturale. Terza edizione. Mondadori Università

2) Silverman, Craig, 2008 Bugie, bugie virali e giornalismo. Tradotto dall’inglese da Silvia Righini e Arianna Marchente disponibile online sul sito :
http://www.ilpost.it/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Bugie-bugie-virali-giornalismo.pdf

3)

Examination Methods

Final oral exam.

For those attending classes : class participation, in-class presentation and reports/papers