Ateneo - UPO

This course introduces the main mechanisms of social communication with a focus on ethical challenges in healthcare communication and the spread of scientific disinformation. Students will explore how communication shapes public perception, trust in institutions, and social responsibility.

Texts and teaching materials provided by the professor

Basic level: a) to promote awareness regarding the use and recognition of expressions and terms in the public sphere; b) to foster attention in identifying mechanisms of public disinformation. Advanced level: to apply the acquired knowledge in order to understand the dynamics of public communication in healthcare and beyond.

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Lectures Case discussions

Students with disabilities, Specific Learning Disorders (SLD), or Special Educational Needs (SEN) may request specific services and tools dedicated to them by contacting the Career Development and Student Services Coordination Office and consulting the dedicated page of the University website: https://uniupo.it/it/servizi/servizi-studenti-disabili-e-dsa. Once in contact with the University staff, students with disabilities, SLD, or SEN may also contact the instructor to define the assessment methods and didactic aspects.

The exam is written and in-person, and consists of a quiz with multiple- choice questions. The final grade is expressed in thirtieths, and to pass the exam, a student must achieve at least 18/30. To pass the exam, students must demonstrate knowledge and understanding of at least the fundamental concepts of the subject. To achieve a high grade, students must demonstrate complete mastery of the topics covered.

1. General elements of pragmatics (Communication as a form of social action); 2. Ethics of communication in healthcare settings (cases of discursive injustice, subordination and paternalism in healthcare institutional communication). 3. Cases of voluntary and involuntary misinformation in health crisis contexts.

Basic level: 1. General knowledge of the main principles governing communicative relationships. 2. Awareness of the problems and challenges posed by ethical communication in healthcare and in the public sphere at large. Advanced level: Ability to apply theoretical notions of communication principles in public contexts, enhancing independent judgment.