SOC 350 – Sociology of the Arts

Having clarified the shifting boundary between fine and popular arts and pointed out the main conceptions and approaches to the study of art, the first part of the course is dedicated to the development of three main concepts: cultural objects, art objects and art worlds. In the second part of the course we will address the relation between social structure, production and consumption of art, with the constant attempt to construct synthetic conceptual bridges – through a comparative perspective (Italy-Europe-America) – between pre-modern (with particular attention to Renaissance), modern, and post-modern life-worlds. Part of the course is dedicated to the theme of genius, creativity and socio-cultural milieu.

By the end of this course, the successful student is expected to be able to: 1) actively discuss the topics brought to his/her attention – assessed through in-class participation; 2) understand the main theoretical perspectives and empirical findings discussed in class – assessed in the midterm exam and final debate; 3) analyse how the experience of art has affected his/her self-identity both at home and abroad – assessed in the first part of the research paper; 4) critically understand and apply concepts and methods learned during the course through the research project.