Workshop: Sociology of Communication

The workshop aims to introduce students to the analytical study of communication content, with a focus on mass media. Specifically, starting with the study of basic content analysis techniques, students will be guided by the instructor—through ad hoc practical activities in the classroom—to conduct empirical analyses aimed at analyzing how specific social categories (e.g., migrants, the elderly, young people, etc.) are represented by the mass media.

At the end of this course, students will be able to:
· Practice basic media content collection and sampling techniques
· Practice basic content analysis techniques
· Understand and critically analyze social representations conveyed by the mass media

At the end of the workshop, students will be asked to produce a small research report to present in class (via a dedicated PowerPoint presentation) for peer review. Students will serve as discussants for their classmates' presentations.

The presentations will then be evaluated by the instructor with a grade of approval.