1. Home
  2. Education
  3. Degree programme courses
  4. History of Communication in the Contemporary Age

History of Communication in the Contemporary Age

A.Y. 2026/2027
6
Max ECTS
40
Overall hours
SSD
HIST-03/A
Language
Italian
Learning objectives
The goal of the course is to provide an introduction to the history of communication by analyzing how media networks originate, how they function and how they shape social practices and values. With reference to Marshall Poe's work, we analyse the five phases of the history of communication: speech, writing, printing, audiovisual media and the internet. Special attention will be paid to the re-mediatization of analogue media in the contemporary hybrid communication system.
Expected learning outcomes
On successful completion of this module, students should be able to:
- Know and understand the main phases of the history of communication
- Conceptualise, contextualise, and discuss the design and development of media networks in history
- Analyse and evaluate contemporary communication critically, based on a historical perspective.

Lesson period: Third trimester

Lessons timetable

Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi

Exams calendar

Single course

This course can be attended as a single course.

Take a single course
Course syllabus and organization

Single session

Responsible
Nuovo Angela Maria
Lesson period
Third trimester
Course syllabus
The course aims to provide students with an introduction to the history of communication, analyzing how different media networks originated, their impact, and the cultural practices and value systems they shaped. Drawing on the thought of Marshall Poe, the inquiry will be conducted through an analysis of the five phases of communication history: the oral era, the era of handwriting, the era of print, the era of audiovisual media, and the Internet era. Particular attention will be paid to the remediation of analog media within today's hybrid communication system
Prerequisites for admission
None
Teaching methods
Teaching is delivered predominantly in-person (Type Alpha). A limited portion of the educational activities, in any case not exceeding 10% of the total hours, may be carried out in synchronous or asynchronous online mode. These activities will be dedicated, in particular, to thematic in-depth studies, guided discussions, expert guest lectures, or preparatory activities for the flipped classroom. Furthermore, students are invited to independently develop specific topics and to present and discuss them with the attendees during classes.
Teaching Resources
The reference material for exam preparation consists of the slides made available on the Ariel platform and the study of the following texts:
Marshall T. Poe, A History of Communication: Media and Society from the Evolution of Speech to the Internet, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2011.
Gabriele Balbi, L'ultima ideologia. Breve storia della rivoluzione digitale, Bari-Roma, Laterza, 2022.

For non-attending students: In addition to the bibliography for attending students, required reading includes the following volume:
Zeffiro Ciuffoletti, Edoardo Tabasso, Breve storia sociale della comunicazione, Third Edition, Roma, Carocci, 2021.
Assessment methods and Criteria
Assessment takes place by means of a written exam: test questions to verify not only knowledge and comprehension but also communications skills about the themes in the course.
For non-attending students, assessment is based on a written exam covering a syllabus that includes some additional reading materials.
HIST-03/A - Contemporary History - University credits: 6
Lessons: 40 hours
Professor: Nuovo Angela Maria
Shifts:
Turno
Professor: Nuovo Angela Maria
Professor(s)