A Model for Communicating Social Problems: Perception, Knowledge, Incorporation, and Change

The article proposes a model to analyze, interpret, and construct the communication of social problems and everyday life. Four relevant aspects (perception, knowledge, integration, and change) of communication processes will be addressed, highlighting the issues to be addressed in light of the deep media coverage of our social world. In particular, it explores how perception changes profoundly in relation to the social conditions, groups, and communities to which one belongs. Furthermore, particular attention is paid to the difficult process of incorporation which allows concepts and social problems to become “family” through communication processes. Incorporation is a prerequisite for changing ideas and behaviors towards social problems. In conclusion, a strategy will be proposed to communicate social problems deepening dimensions and strongholds to be followed with particular reference to popularity and narratives in communication processes.

Bentivegna, S. (2009). Disuguaglianze digitali (Digital inequalities). Roma-Bari: Laterza.

Bentivegna, S., & Boccia Artieri, G. (2019). Le teorie delle comunicazioni di massa e la sfida digitale (The theories of mass communications and the digital challenge). Roma-Bari: Laterza.

Bruno, M., & Lombardinilo, A. (2016). Narrazioni dell’incertezza: Società, media, letteratura (Narratives of uncertainty: Society, media, literature). Milano: FrancoAngeli.

Boccia Artieri, G. (2016). Stati di connessione (Connection states). Milano: FrancoAngeli.

Boccia Artieri, G., Gemini, L., Pasquali, F., Carlo, S., Farci, M., & Pedroni, M. (2017). Fenomenologia dei social network (Phenomenology of social networks). Milano: Guerini Scientifica.

Buckingham, D. (2003). Media education: Literacy, learning and contemporary culture. Cambridge: Polity Press.

Buonanno, M. (2008). The age of television: Experiences and theories. Bristol: Intellect Ltd.

Couldry, N., Livingstone, S., & Markham, T. (2010). Media consumption and public engagement: Beyond the presumption of attention. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Couldry, N., Madianou, M., & Pinchevsky, A. (2013). Ethics of media. London: Palgrave Macmillan.

Couldry, N., & Hepp, A. (2017). The mediated construction of reality. Cambridge: Polity Press.

Couldry, N., & Mejias, U. A. (2019). The costs of connection: How data is colonizing human life and appropriating it for capitalism. New York: Stanford University Press.

Couldry, N. (2012). Media, society, world: Social theory and digital media practice. Cambridge: Polity Press.

Couldry, N. (2016). Live with the media manifold. In L. Kramp, N. Carpentier, A. Hepp, R. Kilborn, R. Kunelius, H. Nieminen, … S. Tosoni (Eds.), Politics, civil society and participation: Media and communications in a transforming environment (pp. 25-39). Bremen: Edition Lumière.

Curran, J. (2011). Media and democracy. London: Routledge.

Dahlgren, P. (2009). Media and political engagement: Citizens, communication and democracy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Dahlgren, P. (2013). The political web: Media, participation and alternative democracy. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Durand, G. (1960). Les structures anthropologiques de l’imaginaire (The anthropological structures of the imaginary). Grenoble: Allier.

Elias, N. (1978). What is sociology? London: Hutchinson.

Ervas, F., & Gola, E. (2016). Che cos’è una metafora (What is a metaphor). Roma: Carocci.

Hofstadter, D., & Sander, E. (2011). Surfaces and essences: Analogy as the fuel and fire of thinking. London: Basic Books.

Horsley, J. S. (2016). Media framing of disaster. In A. Schwarz, M. W. Seeger, and C. Auer (Eds.), The handbook of international crisis communication research (pp. 155-164). Chichester: Wiley and Sons.

Jedloswki, P. (2008). Immaginario e senso comune (Imaginary and common sense). In F. Carmagnola and V. Matera (Eds.), Genealogie dell’immaginario (Genealogies of the imaginary) (pp. 222-238). Torino: Utet Università.

Jenkins, H. (2006). Convergence culture. New York: New York University Press.

Lakoff, G. (2014). The all new don’t think of an elephant!: Know your values and frame the debate. New York: Chelsea Green Pub Co.

Murray, C., Schrøder, K., Drotner, K., & Kline, S. (2003). Researching audiences: A practical guide to methods in media audience analysis. London: Arnold Publications.

Peruzzi, G., & Volterrani, A. (2016). La comunicazione sociale (Social communication). Roma-Bari: Laterza.

Rosa, H. (2013). Social acceleration: A new theory of modernity. New York: Columbia University Press.

Sennett, R. (2008). The craftsman. New Haven: Yale University Press.

Schutz, A. (1972). Collected papers I. The problem of social reality. London: Springer.

Schwarz, A., Seeger, M. W., & Auer, C. (2016). The handbook of international crisis communication research. Chichester: Wiley and Sons.

Silverstone, R. (1994). Television and everyday life. London: Routledge.

Sloman, S., & Fornbach, P. (2018). The knowledge illusion: The myth of individual thought and the power of collective wisdom. London: Palgrave Macmillan.

Sorice, M. (2019). Partecipazione democratica. Teorie e problemi (Democratic participation. Theories and problems). Milano: Mondadori Università.

Van Djiek, J., Poell, T., & De Waal, M. (2018). The platform society: Public values in a connective world. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Vergani, E. (2012). Costruire visioni (Building visions). Roma: Exorma Edizioni.

Volterrani, A. (2011). Saturare l’immaginario (Saturate the imaginary). Roma: Exorma Edizioni.

Volterrani, A. (2016). How to build prevention for the elderly and disabled before natural disasters? The added social value of voluntary organizations in Europe. Sociology and Anthropology, 4(2), 92-98.