Unit INTERNET STUDIES
- Course
- Digital and corporate communication
- Study-unit Code
- A004640
- Curriculum
- In all curricula
- Teacher
- Anna Stanziano
- Teachers
-
- Anna Stanziano
- Hours
- 60 ore - Anna Stanziano
- CFU
- 8
- Course Regulation
- Coorte 2026
- Offered
- 2026/27
- Learning activities
- Caratterizzante
- Area
- Discipline sociali, informatiche e dei linguaggi
- Sector
- GSPS-06/A
- Type of study-unit
- Obbligatorio (Required)
- Type of learning activities
- Attività formativa monodisciplinare
- Language of instruction
- Italian
- Contents
- The course introduces the main concepts, theoretical approaches, and research areas within Internet Studies, with the aim of providing an interdisciplinary understanding of the social, cultural, political, and economic transformations associated with the diffusion of the Internet and digital media.
Starting from a reconstruction of the key stages in the development of the Internet, the web, and social media, the course examines the main theoretical paradigms and analyzes contemporary processes shaping the digital ecosystem, with particular attention to platforms, data, and algorithmic technologies.
The course also addresses central topics in current debates, including the dynamics of platformization and datafication, the processes of information production and circulation (including phenomena of information disorder), and the role of artificial intelligence in digital communication.
The course integrates theoretical perspectives and empirical research, fostering the development of critical analytical skills for understanding contemporary media phenomena. - Reference texts
- ATTENDING STUDENTS:
Vittadini, N. (2018). Social Media Studies. I social media alla soglia della maturità: storia, teorie, temi. Franco Angeli, Milano
Marwick, A., & Lewis, R. (2017). Media Manipulation and Disinformation Online. Data & Society Research Institute. Retrieved from https://datasociety.net/output/media-manipulation-and-disinfo-online/ (https://datasociety.net/pubs/oh/DataAndSociety_MediaManipulationAndDisinformationOnline.pdf)
Lewis, R. (2018). Alternative Influence. Data & Society Research Institute. Retrieved from https://datasociety.net/output/alternative-influence/ (https://datasociety.net/output/alternative-influence/)
Dispense del corso e materiale didattico
NON ATTENDING STUDENTS:
Miconi, A. (2018). Teorie e pratiche del web. Il Mulino, Bologna
Vittadini, N. (2018). Social Media Studies. I social media alla soglia della maturità: storia, teorie, temi. Franco Angeli, Milano
de Baggis, M., & Puliafito, A. (2023). In principio era ChatGPT. Intelligenze artificiali per testi, immagini, video e quel che verrà. Apogeo, Milano
Marwick, A., & Lewis, R. (2017). Media Manipulation and Disinformation Online. Data & Society Research Institute. Retrieved from https://datasociety.net/output/media-manipulation-and-disinfo-online/ (https://datasociety.net/pubs/oh/DataAndSociety_MediaManipulationAndDisinformationOnline.pdf)
Lewis, R. (2018). Alternative Influence. Data & Society Research Institute. Retrieved from https://datasociety.net/output/alternative-influence/ (https://datasociety.net/output/alternative-influence/) - Educational objectives
- The course aims to provide students with a systematic understanding of the main concepts, theoretical approaches, and research areas within Internet Studies, with particular reference to the transformations of contemporary digital communication.
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
- understand the evolution of the network, from the Internet to Web 2.0 and the platform society;
- analyze data and trends related to the diffusion of social media;
- be familiar with and interpret the main theoretical paradigms of Internet Studies;
- understand key concepts such as performance, audiences, digital identity, privacy, and profiling;
- examine interpretive models of platform capitalism and the critical sociology of the web;
- distinguish between phenomena such as infodemia and information disorder;
- explore processes such as social sharing, digital divide, knowledge gap, and generational belonging;
- identify and contextualize emerging phenomena such as datafication and the use of artificial intelligence in digital communication. - Prerequisites
- No prerequisites are required.
- Teaching methods
- The course consists of three weekly sessions and combines different teaching approaches:
- lectures, aimed at providing the core theoretical and methodological foundations of the course;
- group work, intended to foster in-depth analysis and critical engagement with the topics discussed;
- guided class discussions, designed to encourage active student participation, dialogue, and the development of argumentative skills.
This structure is intended to promote an active and participatory learning environment, integrating the acquisition of theoretical knowledge with the development of critical thinking and communication skills. - Other information
- Daily newspaper reading (paper or online) is recommended. Frequency is strongly encouraged.
- Learning verification modality
- Student assessment will be carried out through an individual oral examination, with an approximate duration of 30 minutes.
The exam is designed to assess:
- the level of knowledge of the theoretical and methodological contents covered in the course;
- the ability to critically understand the main concepts and approaches within Internet Studies;
- the ability to contextualize and apply theoretical frameworks to contemporary phenomena in digital communication;
- the capacity for independent argumentation and for establishing connections across the different course modules.
The oral examination will also evaluate the student’s communication skills, with particular attention to:
- the appropriate use of discipline-specific terminology;
- clarity of expression;
- the ability to structure a coherent and well-organized discourse;
- adherence to the main principles of academic public speaking.
For information on support services for students with disabilities and/or Specific Learning Disorders (SLD/DSA), please visit: http://www.unipg.it/disabilita-e-dsa - Extended program
- The course is structured into three main modules, which complement each other by combining historical, theoretical, and analytical perspectives.
The first module reconstructs the development of the Internet, the web, and social media from a long-term perspective. It highlights the key transitions that led from the early stages of the Internet to the so-called platform society, while also identifying elements of continuity and discontinuity with established paradigms in mass media studies.
The second module is devoted to the main theoretical approaches within Internet Studies. This section presents and discusses the most relevant interpretive frameworks for analyzing digital phenomena, addressing both macro-sociological levels (e.g., network society, platform economy) and micro-sociological levels (e.g., practices of use, identity construction, and online relational dynamics).
The third module explores major contemporary research directions in Internet Studies. It focuses on digital cultures and online social practices, with particular attention to the functioning of platforms and social network sites, the emergence of new forms of aggregation and participation, and the dynamics of information production and circulation, including practices of media manipulation and phenomena of information disorder. The module also introduces algorithm studies and AI studies, with specific attention to the role of algorithmic systems and artificial intelligence in shaping contemporary communication environments.