Class Art, Culture and Communication

The CU explores concepts of culture in their relationship to communication and arts. The CU introduces key thinkers and theoretical fields within communication sciences, exploring the anthropological and sociological definitions of culture and their connection to artistic practices (e.g. high and low culture, mass culture). It will explore the implication of the work of visual representation, as well as its relationships to questions of power and legitimation of narratives, both hegemonic and counter-hegemonic. These theoretical discussions will be grounded in the analysis of several visual examples.

Not applicable

1. What is culture? 1.1. Anthropological definitions of culture 1.2. Sociological definitions of culture: high and low culture, popular and mass culture 1.3. Stuart Hall, cultural studies, culture and the everyday   2. What is art? 2.1. Constraints and limitations in defining art 2.2. Art and culture: the implications of the work of visual representation 2.2.1. John Berger: Interrogating ways of seeing 2.2.2. Who creates art? Linda Nochlin: Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists? 2.3. Material culture and cultural industries   3. Culture and power 3.1. Cultural capital 3.2. Dominant, negotiated, and oppositional readings 3.3. Examples: representation and identity - gender and race   4. Culture, art and communication in the digital age 4.1. Digital vernacular and participative cultures

Given the objectives of this CU, the CU will be taught in a theoretical-practical format, alternating between expository, demonstrative, and participatory methods. Students will be expected to participate in the reading and discussion of recommended texts, as well as in critical debates in the classroom. Theoretical discussions will be exemplified using (audio)visual materials in various formats.

Berger, J. (1972/2018). Modos de Ver. Antígona. Burgess, J. (2006). Hearing ordinary voices: Cultural studies, vernacular creativity and digital storytelling. Continuum, 20(2), 201-214. D'Orey, C. (2007). O que é a Arte? A Perspectiva Analítica. Dinalivro. Hall, S. (1973/1999). Encoding, Decoding . In S. During (Ed.) The Cultural Studies Reader. Routledge. Hall, S. (2003). Representation: Cultural Representations and Signifying Practices. Sage Publications. Melo, A. (2001). As três dimensões do sistema. In A. Melo, Arte (, pp. 29-52). Editora Quimera. Nochlin, L. (1971/2023).  Porque Não Houve Grandes Mulheres Artistas? VS Editor.