Minor Art in the Public Sphere (88M30)

With a focus on critical analysis and interdisciplinary perspectives, students gain insight into global dynamics such as globalization, migration, and tourism, while also exploring themes of heritage, memory, identity, and representation. This comprehensive approach equips students with the skills and perspectives needed to navigate and contribute meaningfully to today's complex public discourse.

Who is this minor interesting for?

This minor would be of interest to students enrolled in the following programs, among others: Bachelor's in Communication and Information Sciences (CIS), Bachelor's in Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS), Bachelor's in Sociology, Bachelor of Arts in Media and Communication Studies, Bachelor of Arts in Cultural Studies, Bachelor of Arts in Digital Humanities, Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, Bachelor of Arts in Gender Studies, Bachelor of Arts in Visual Arts and Culture, Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.

General information

Courses

Platforms, Persons, Publics (Semester 1, 800156-B-6)

This course explores the evolution of the public sphere through mediatisation and digitalisation. It analyzes key institutions such as traditional news media, social media, critical art institutions, and popular culture. By examining theories and case studies, we delve into current national public spheres, platforms, democracy, and freedom of speech. We also consider historical developments that have shaped contemporary media landscapes. Rooted in cultural studies, media studies, and philosophy, this course enables students to engage with theories from various disciplines, gaining a nuanced understanding of the complex interplay between media, democracy, and society.

Reading and Writing in Online Culture (Semester 1, 880098-B-6)

This class delves into the impact of digitalization on how content is consumed and produced online. We'll explore the evolution of reading and writing practices in the digital age, analyzing changes brought about by online culture. From dissecting novels to analyzing memes, we'll cover a diverse range of texts and media formats, learning to read critically across various contexts. Additionally, the course focuses on developing writing skills, exploring different styles and genres to effectively communicate scholarly research to a broader audience interested in online culture. Throughout, we'll address key topics such as media literacy, the attention economy, and navigating misinformation in the digital landscape. Get ready for an engaging exploration of the complex interplay between technology, culture, and communication!

Globalization, Migration and Tourism (Semester 1, 800180-B-6)

This course explores globalization's theoretical developments and cultural phenomena, with a focus on the mobility of people and ideas across borders. We examine contemporary manifestations and impacts on various regions and human life facets. Analyzing diverse mobilities, encompassing migration, tourism, and beyond, we uncover cultural exchanges and local landscape transformations.

Art and Media in a Digital Society (Semester 2, 822026-B-6)

This course explores the interplay between different art forms and media, examining how visual arts influence fiction and poetry, and how music impacts painting and literature. It delves into the unique capabilities of film and novels, investigating how they complement or contrast each other, particularly in festival settings. Art's connection to everyday life and its role in addressing societal and cultural issues are analyzed. In the context of an intermedial and post-digital world, the course considers the evolving nature of art and its implications for humanity. Core concepts include intermediality, transmediality, narrativity, performance, and remediation within the framework of the network society and interdisciplinarity.

Truth of Fiction (Semester 2, 800163-B-6)

This course considers the intersections of narrative and documentary representation, and explores the tensions between factuality (reality, things as they are) and fiction (invention, imagination) across different media. The distinction between fake & truth, post-truth and veracity, or fiction & reality seems a crucial and problematic one in current media saturated public spheres. Drawing on theories on fiction and representation, we will analyze a range of artefacts, artistic forms, and genres: the novel, photography, television series, and documentaries that stimulate and help us to reflect on truth in the public sphere. We will discuss historical and contemporary theories on representation to be implemented on current media phenomena.

Participatory Art and Performance (Semester 2, 800819-B-6)

This course focuses on the topic of participatory art, which engages the audience in the creative process. It explores the historical developments, key concepts, and technological aspects of interactive art. The course challenges traditional roles of artist and audience and blurs the boundaries between cultural institutions and society. Through participation in interactive art projects, students are encouraged to reflect critically and academically on their experiences. The course aims to foster a deeper understanding of the evolving nature of art and its relationship with society.

Heritage, Memory and Identity (Semester 2, 800181-B-6)

This course delves into the evolving nature of heritage in the digital age. Heritage, whether institutionalized or not, takes on multifaceted manifestations that are influenced by power dynamics and varying perspectives. As cultural scholars, our focus is to critically analyze pivotal questions surrounding contemporary heritage, including community engagement with the past, decision-making processes about remembrance and forgetting, the role of digital technology in heritage preservation, and the implications of globalization and decolonization on heritage discourse. We will also analyze the democratization of engagement in the digital realm, alongside commercial and proprietary interests. Drawing from various disciplines, this course offers a rigorous exploration of heritage's evolving significance within contemporary societal frameworks.

Gender and Bodies in Media (Semester 2, 800178-B-6)

This interdisciplinary course explores body and gender diversity representation in visual media, emphasizing stereotypes, gender, and diversity from an intersectional and decolonial perspective. It introduces affective methodology, emphasizing bodily responses in knowledge production. Students analyze ‘otherness constructions’ in visual media, understanding societal constructions and representations of bodies. Topics include diversity representation, gender-based violence, body visibility, visual anthropology, propaganda, art versus porn, and the visual-affective relationship. By course end, students gain insight into how society constructs, represents, and deconstructs bodies through media, and vice versa, elucidating contemporary digital society's body performances.

After the minor 

Subsequent education options for students following this minor could be (among others) Master's program in the following areas: Media Studies, Cultural Studies, Communication Studies, Visual Arts, Anthropology, Gender Studies, Digital Humanities, and Journalism and Mass Communication.

The knowledge gained from this minor is highly applicable in professional fields where media, culture, and communication play pivotal roles. Understanding platforms, online culture, globalization, and migration can inform strategies in marketing, journalism, and international relations. Proficiency in art, media, and digital society can aid in creative industries and digital marketing. Insights into truth and fiction can guide storytelling in journalism and entertainment. Skills in participatory art and performance can be utilized in event management and community engagement roles. Knowledge of heritage, memory, identity, gender, and media is invaluable in fields like cultural preservation, social advocacy, and gender studies, digital discourse (analysis).

More information

Detailed and up-to-date information about this minor in the academic year 2024-2025 can be found in the Osiris Catalogue from 1 August. 

If you have any questions about this minor, please contact: Camilla Spadavecchia.