This course provides a general overview on the evolution of Communication research, from the age of mass media to the new digital ecosystem. In particular, the course covers the following topics: - Introduction to the central concepts of the discipline - Classical theories of communication including the role of media and their effects on society - Historical origins of modern media of communication such as press, photography, cinema, and television - The paradigm shift from mass to digital media leading to the emergence of a network and platform society - The global dimension of network communication: effects on geo-politics, international relations, activism and terrorism - The relationship between identity and media representations: gender, ethnicities, youth subcultures - The evolution of the Star System from the time of celebrities to the world of influencers - The cultural production spread on the net and new forms of media prosumption such as Do It Yourself (DIY) cultures, convergent media and memes The final part of the course will be more empirical and focused on the application of sociological research methods. This active learning component will take a form of a research lab where students are divided into groups and work on a project based on the main topics discussed in class.