HUMANITIES LAB: THE POLITICS OF MEANING. AN INTRODUCTION TO SEMIOTICS

Through key concepts such as sign, symbol, and myth, students are introduced to the field of semiotics with the aim of understanding the strategic role that languages play in shaping social reality. The course seeks to demonstrate the productive relationship between the humanities and the social sciences, also in light of the impact of artificial intelligence on the production of meaning.

Knowledge and understanding: Acquisition of the main theoretical notions of semiotics for the analysis of contemporary social phenomena. Students will understand how semiotic theories and methods can be used to interpret the production of meaning in contemporary societies, examining cultural narratives, collective identities, social transformations, and the symbolic dimensions of political discourse, including those shaped by artificial intelligence. Applying knowledge and understanding: Students will be able to apply semiotic models and analytical tools to investigate contemporary social phenomena. They will learn to analyse discourses, representations, practices, and cultural texts, identifying the mechanisms through which meanings, values, and social imaginaries are constructed, circulated, and contested in increasingly digital and AI-mediated contexts Making judgements: Students will develop critical thinking skills and the ability to identify, compare, and critically evaluate the narratives and systems of values embedded in contemporary social discourse. Communication skills: Students will strengthen their ability to articulate, discuss, and defend their interpretations of social phenomena through informed dialogue, drawing on semiotic concepts and theoretical models. Learning skills: Students will develop independent and reflective learning skills, strengthening their capacity to connect semiotic theory with the analysis of contemporary social transformations. They will acquire the ability to critically engage with emerging cultural, technological, and communicative environments, adapting semiotic perspectives to new objects of inquiry and evolving societal challenges.

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The notion of sign. Denotation and connotation The notion of symbol. The notion of myth. The notion of veridiction.

Barthes, R. Mythologies (2013). Mythologies (R. Howard, A. Lavers, Trans.). Hill and Wang. (Original work published 1957) Eco, U. (2013). Inventing the enemy. And other occasional writings. Harpervia Lorusso, A.M. (2020). Between Truth, Legitimacy, and Legality in the Post-truth Era. Internation Journal for the semiotics of law. Peverini, P. (2015). Remix practices and activism. A Semiotic Analysis of Creative Dissent. In The Routledge companion to remix studies (pp. 333-345). Routledge. Slides

Frontal lectures In-class discussions Group activities

Attendant Students - Final written exam: 1 open-ended + 3 multiple choice questions on the mandatory program Non Attending - Final written exam: 2 open-ended + 3 multiple choice questions on the mandatory program