Universitat Internacional de Catalunya - BarcelonaCommunication Theory
Main language of instruction: Spanish
Head instructor
Dr. Iván LACASA - lacasa@uic.es
Office hours
In order to make an appointment, please request one by writing to:
Iván Lacasa (lacasa@uic.es)
María Victoria (mvictoria@uic.es)
Intellectual discourses, theoretical models or research methodologies that have accompanied the history of the emergence and development of different media cannot be summarised in one major and complex enough theory neither in a single definition of communication.
Due to this evidence, in this subject we will defend the opportunity to go on an introductory journey through a selection of theories that have made academic contributions consistent in the media world. Through guided self-learning, the student will critically analyse the main theoretical and methodological concepts that have served as a compass in the space of dialogue and discussion that has composed the story of Communication Theory.
No pre-course requirements are needed to enrol in this subject.
The objective of this subject is to help students become familiar to the broad field of theoretical thinking of the media, a complex universe of assertions, theories, concepts and paradigms, not infrequently incompatible.
The historical presentation and the compared theming in which this subject is based intends to endow the student with analytical tools to comment critically on the various dimensions of the current dynamics of digital communication ecosystems.
In turn, this subject aims to awake the student's interest for intellectual work and his enthusiasm for becoming personally capable of generating his own analytical and critical thinking.
A fourth objective of the subject is that students cultivate the awareness that empirical social research cannot be performed on an empty theoretical space and, consequently, to advance in their observations they should not simply follow assumptions made spontaneously, but must rely on more sweeping theories to explain his project and guide them.
This subject will have achieved its purpose if theories about the media become seen by the student not only as tight and expendable speeches by foreign specialists, but as inescapable guidelines for a thorough understanding of the media and as prospects for observations intellectually stimulating.
SECTION 1: COMMUNICATION THEORY: FOUNDATIONS AND EVOLUTION
Topic 1: Social science and the theory of mass communication
1.1. What is meant by "science"?
1.2. The social sciences to natural sciences.
Topic 2: The first era of media theory
(A) The theory of mass society
2.1. Historical framework: a new social and media order.
2.2. Two theorists of mass society
2.2.1. Gustave Le Bon
2.2.2. Ferdinand Tönnies
2.3. Major assumptions of the theory of mass society.
2.4. Contributions and limitations of the theory of mass society.
2.5. Current forms of the theory of mass society.
Topic 2: The first era of media theory
(B) The theory of propaganda
2.5. The origin of the propaganda.
2.6. Propaganda and the development of media theory.
2.6.1. Harold Lasswell.
2.6.2. Walter Lippman.
2.7. The Institute for Propaganda Analysis and the seven basic techniques of propaganda.
2.8. Theory of propaganda and theory about the influence of the media.
Topic 3: The second era of media theory: theories of the limited effects
3.1. Origins of the theory of limited effects.
3.2. Hovland: theory and experiments on attitude change.
3.3. Lazarsfeld: two step flow theory
3.4. Limitations of the theories of limited effects.
3.5. Contributions of the theories of limited effects.
Topic 4: The third era of media theory: critical and cultural theories
4.1. The cultural turn of media research.
4.2. Frankfurt School.
4.3. British cultural studies.
4.4. Limitations of cultural theories and criticisms.
4.5. Contributions of cultural theories and criticisms.
Topic 5: The fourth era of media theory: theories of the production of meaning
5.1. From the downtown public-medium-centric approaches
5.2. The active audience and production of meaning
5.3. The theory uses and gratifications
SECTION 2: DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTION OF A RESEARCH COMMUNICATION
Designing a communication research.
Focus and justification of the issues and research questions.
Methodologies for communication research.
The analysis of empirical data.
Presentation of the results of research in communication.
| TRAINING ACTIVITY | ECTS CREDITS |
|---|---|
| Coaching. Monitoring how students learn the content of the subject, either individually or in groups. In the coaching sessions, mistakes will be corrected, queries answered, and exercises and activities to achieve the established objectives will be suggested. | 0.6 |
| Seminar. This activity will consist of taking an in-depth look at specific up-to-date topics in a monographic manner-in some cases these topics will have been debated socially-, via active work in small groups. | 1 |
| Practical workshop. A highly practical working activity, where students can acquire skills that are practical or also theoretical (intellectual skills, logical skills, critical skills, intellectual learning skills, study skills, quoting skills, etc). | 1,8 |
| Lectures. In lectures, lecturers/professors not only transmit content or knowledge, but also, and above all else, attitudes, motivation, skills and values, etc. They also ensure that participants can express their opinions and arguments to the other students. | 2.6 |
* To pass the course you must present the two parts.
** The spelling rules of the Faculty shall apply to all tests and assignments.
*** To pass the second call is necessary to accomplish all assessment activities not approved in the first call.
Baran, S. J. & Davis, D. K. (2011). Mass Communication Theory. Foundations, Ferment, and Future. Wadsworth.
Noelle-Neumann, E. (1995). La espiral del silencio. Opinión pública: nuestra piel social. Barcelona: Paidós.
Scheufele, D. y Moy, P. (2000). Twenty-five years of the spiral of silence: A conceptual review and empirical outlook. International Journal of Public Opinion Research, 12 (1), 3-28.