Professor
Luca GorgoliniLearning outcomes
The course aims to provide students with a critical understanding of the cultural dimension of globalization processes, enabling them, in particular, to acquire the theoretical and practical tools needed to understand and analyze how digital media influence the communication of NGOs, international organizations, and global social movements.
Expected learning outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to: - critically analyze the communication strategies of NGOs and global movements within a context marked by the use of digital media; - evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of global activism online; - develop a digital communication strategy for an NGO or global movement; - develop transversal skills useful for fostering an interdisciplinary analysis of globalized communication processes; - examine the role of media, digital technologies, and global platforms in the construction of transnational imaginaries and identities.
Course contents
During the course, the main theoretical perspectives relating to the communication strategies of global movements and non-governmental organizations operating on a global scale will be verified through the analysis of the following case studies: Global Sumud Flotilla, Fridays for Future, Black Lives Matter, Amnesty International, Greenpeace, The Women, Life, Freedom movement (Iran, 2022), Global Movement to Gaza, Arab Spring (2010-2011).
Reading/Bibliography
All materials presented and discussed in class will be uploaded to SharePoint. Open access essays and scientific articles will also be made available, as well as individual chapters from books dealing with the topics and case studies discussed in class.
Teaching methods
During the lessons, the instructor's explanations will be supported by the use of slides, written texts, and audiovisual materials. The lessons will have a seminar-like nature: students will be constantly challenged to engage with the instructor and their peers on the course content presented in each lesson. Specifically, they will be asked to participate, individually or in groups, in guided discussions of case studies and simulated information campaigns.
Assessment methods
There will be a midterm exam and a final written exam, with open-ended questions. The final grade will be the average of the two grades obtained in each exam, but will also take into account regular attendance and active participation in class discussions.