Have you ever wondered how Italian style speaks to us even before we see a label, a face, or a gesture?
At the Popular Culture, Folklore and Communication conference (Dec 5–6, University of Belgrade), I explored one word that captures the essence of Italianicity: sprezzatura.
Born in the Renaissance with Castiglione, it described the art of making the curated conduct and look effortless. Through centuries, it has traveled literature and dictionaries, embodying nonchalance, elegance, subtle superiority.
Today, on Instagram and beyond, #sprezzatura translates this lived Italian experience visually: a coat casually draped, a cuff undone, a gaze that refuses the camera. Effort hidden in ease.
Looking back at the end of last year, I am pleased to share the success of my workshop cycle, "Media Under the Microscope: Discourse Analysis in Practice." Held throughout November and December at the Ethnographic Institute of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SANA), this program brought together students of social sciences and humanities, as well as media enthusiasts, for an intensive journey into the mechanics of modern communication.
Throughout the four sessions, I guided the participants from foundational concepts to complex critical analysis, following Bloom’s Taxonomy. Here are the highlights of what we achieved together:
I. Deconstructing Institutional Power (November 20th)
We began in late November by exploring the nexus of media and power. I led the group through an analysis of how institutions—states, militaries, and corporations—have historically shaped public discourse. We applied the LIAR and CLARITY models to case studies ranging from World War I propaganda posters to modern PR strategies.
II. Representation and the "Italian Gaze" (November 27th)
The second session allowed me to share my research on Italian media culture. We examined how identity and stereotypes are constructed and we even deconstructed contemporary cultural myths, such as the Italia. Open to Meraviglia campaign.
III. The Semiotics of Word and Image (December 4th)
As we moved into December, our focus shifted to the "dialogue" between text and visuals. We constructed semiotic squares relying on discourse analysis. Together, we analyzed the visual rhetoric of political campaigns and collective advertisements, learning to identify how meanings are often built through hidden binary oppositions.
IV. Audiences in the Digital Era (December 11th)
In our final meeting, we explored the transformation of the audience from passive spectators to active "prosumers." We tackled the complexities of transmediality and intermediality, examining how today’s digital communities leave their own communication traces and actively shape the media landscape.
For me, the most rewarding part of this series was the interactive nature of the workshops. Each session included:
Reflective Practice and Active Engagement. The energy and critical insights shared during these months at the Institute were truly inspiring. I am currently reviewing the participants' final presentations and look forward to implementing similar educational cycles in the future.
In un ecosistema digitale sempre più frammentato e visivo, i modelli classici della comunicazione sembrano non bastare più. Crossmedialità, post-ironia, estetiche virali e culture partecipative mettono in crisi le categorie tradizionali. Questo incontro nasce dalla necessità di ripensare le teorie dei media a partire da ciò che vediamo oggi nelle piattaforme e nei discorsi culturali. A partire da una breve rassegna delle principali classificazioni teoriche (dal XX secolo a oggi), verrà presentato un modello alternativo fondato su quattro assi analitici (linguaggio, istituzione, pubblico e rappresentazione) e le principali leggi dell’alfabetizzazione mediatica, ispirato all’analisi critica del discorso, pensato per leggere la complessità dei media odierni con strumenti interdisciplinari e aggiornati. Attraverso una selezione di esempi concreti, esploreremo come i media digitali reinterpretano concetti come identità nazionale, appartenenza estetica, partecipazione e consumo culturale.
https://www.bookcitymilano.it/eventi/2025/media-come-discorso-discorso-come-potere