OVERVIEW

Communication is an Iceberg. The hidden part is a mystery. Yet it is fundamental for our ability to interat. How can we get to understand and manage  it? 

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

With the help of video in Aulaweb the course will help students to master implicit aspects of communication (in everyday discourse, in politics and advertisement). Students will study some of the main principles and theories of communication in philosophy of language and pragmatics (including Austin, Grice, Stalnaker) , with applications and class work on periodicals and videos.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The aim is to let students to become aware of the mutiple and hidden mechanisms that let unexpressed meanings and ideas pass through any communication.

Learn how to recognise fake news as fake an develop the ability to avoid to be convinced by misleading communication

PREREQUISITES

There is no particular presequisite, although some basic linguistics and logic might help.

TEACHING METHODS

Lectures wil be interactive: part of the lesso will be a presentation of some ideas and exaples on which the class will be requested to judge.

Questions are not only welcome, but requested. Students should bring the results of their knoweldge and information to help the class to improve in understanding different kinds of implicit knowledge.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

This is just a draft of the program -

Background work: fallacies and argumentation

First part: 

sharing a common ground: presuppositions, stereotypes, common knowledge

Second part 

individuating the implicit: conventional and conversational implicatures; application to political communication and danger of social networks

Third part 

speech acts: lying and misleading. 

Fourth part 

Disinformation; 

A part on fallacies and their application will be treated, depending on the reaction of the students, either at the beginning of at the end of the lessons.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Filippo Domaneschi, Manuale di Pragmatica 

OR other texts if required for English speakers

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

better check on the official system for safety.

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Class schedule

THEORIES OF COMMUNICATION

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam will be basically a viva voce exam at the end of the course. But there may be an intermediate written examination (oprtional) and at least a short paper  (mandatory)

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The evaluation of the optional written examination may help to present less material at the viva voce examination - that might be bevoted more to the discussion of the mandatory paper.

Part of the assessment will be given also by the capacity to interact in the classroom. Possibily also presentations by the students will be taken into account. 

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION

For further informatio you may write me (penco@unige.it) or check on Aulaweb