Class Communication Models and Theories

The main objectives of the Theories and Models of Communication curricular unit are to familiarise students with the theories and models of communication that emerged mainly during the 20th century.

Not applicable

1 - Presentation of the programme and assessment standards. 2 - Conceptual introduction General characterisation of the communication process. Contexts, theories and paradigms. 3 - Mass Communication Hypodermic Theory / Magic Bullet Theory. Lasswell's model and overcoming TH/TBM. 4 - The Chicago School. 5 - "Limited effects". The mass media as an object of consumption. Two-step / Multi-step Flow of Communication; context and effects. 6 - Functionalist theory of mass communication The structural-functionalist position. The functions of mass communication. The hypothesis of uses and gratifications. 7 - Critical Theory The culture industry as a system. 8 - The cultural studies perspective Its origins. The present day. 9 - The role of the mass media in the construction of reality The Agenda-setting hypothesis: the power of journalism. Understanding Media: McLuhan 10 - The Internet and the new status quo. Sustainable Development Goals and Communication Hegemonies, the global order and cultural imperialism

Throughout the semester we intend to use various methodologies: theoretical exposition; analysis of texts; inverted classes and film screenings. This is without forgetting the work that should be produced by the students in a critical and positive way for the development of the Curricular Unit.

Barlow, David M. and (Edt.), Brett Mills (2009). Reading Media Theory: Thinkers, Approachers, Contexts . Pearson education Limited. Bennett, W. Lance and Manheim, Jarol B. (2006). "The One-Step Flow of Communication." The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 608 (1): 213-232. Fraser, Nancy (1990). "Rethinking the Public Sphere: A Contribution to the Critique of Actually Existing Democracy " Social Text 25/26 : 56-80. Hall, Stuart (2005). Encoding/decoding. Culture, Media, Language: Working Papers in Cultural Studies,1972?79 . Hall, Stuart, Hobson, Dorothy, Lowe, Andrew and Willis, Paul. Londres, Taylor & Francis e-Library. McLuhan, Marshall (2008). Compreender os Meios de Comunicação. Relógio d?Água. McQuail, Denis (2003). Teoria da Comunicação de Massas . Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian. Wolf, M. (2006). Teorias da Comunicação , Lisboa: Editorial Presença.