Ritzer – The McDonaldization of Society

• The following texts provide the theoretical foundation for the course and should be considered essential reading throughout the semester. They will be integrated with weekly readings and teaching materials (book chapters, journal articles,…
• These readings will be discussed and applied throughout the course. Additional weekly materials will be uploaded on Virtuale and are to be read in advance of each session.

Argomenti del programma: Where does a territory end and a platform begin? This course introduces students to sociology through the spatial and cultural dimensions of contemporary life, at a moment when the two are harder than ever to tell apart. It begins with the historical development of the discipline and its intersections with the other social sciences, then moves toward a focused examination of how territory and culture interact within…

• Mandatory course materials (book chapters, articles, papers, documents, videos) will be assigned during the lectures. All references will be available on Virtuale, the University of Bologna online teaching platform.

Argomenti del programma: What does it mean to live in a society where platforms mediate our work, our relationships, and our sense of self — and where algorithms increasingly produce the very culture we consume? This course tackles that question head-on, treating the digital age not as a technical fact but as a sociological battleground: a space of new opportunities for participation and innovation, and, at the same time, of deepening…

• Mandatory course materials (book chapters, articles, papers, documents, videos) will be assigned during the lectures. All references will be available on Virtuale, the University of Bologna online teaching platform.

Argomenti del programma: What does it mean to live in a society where platforms mediate our work, our relationships, and our sense of self — and where algorithms increasingly produce the very culture we consume? This course tackles that question head-on, treating the digital age not as a technical fact but as a sociological battleground: a space of new opportunities for participation and innovation, and, at the same time, of deepening…