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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "DJRN 329"
COURSE NAME: "Fashion Journalism"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2024
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Giulia Rossi
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: MW 11:30 AM 12:45 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisite: EN 110 with a grade of C or above
OFFICE HOURS:
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course focuses on the role of fashion journalism in both traditional mass media and emerging digital media. Students will learn to define fashion from a cultural theory framework and to understand its relevance to contemporary society. The course combines theory and practice, ranging from a cultural approach to the subject of fashion journalism and fashion media, to applying it to the skill of fashion journalism and working in the industry.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
This course focuses on the role of fashion journalism in both traditional mass media and emerging digital media. Students will learn to define fashion from a cultural theory framework and to understand its relevance to contemporary society. The course combines theory and practice, ranging from a cultural approach to the subject of fashion journalism and fashion media, to applying it to the skill of fashion journalism and working in the industry.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
This course focuses on the role of fashion journalism in both traditional mass media and emerging digital media. Students will learn to define fashion from a cultural theory framework and to understand its relevance to contemporary society. The course combines theory and practice, ranging from a cultural approach to the subject of fashion journalism and fashion media, to applying it to the skill of fashion journalism and working in the industry.
TEXTBOOK:
NONE
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Active participation and preparationActive participation and preparation constitute an extremely important element for this course. Students’ degree of engagement with the material and participation during open and structured in-class discussions will determine the participation portion of your final grade. In order to prepare well for discussions, students need to complete the reading assigned for each class (as specified in the syllabus schedule) and be familiar with its content and general argument. 10%
Midterm exam On schedule in class) The exam will assess students’ knowledge of relevant elements of Italy’s cultural history relating to fashion and the course readings/discussions and will assess their ability to apply different critical approaches to the phenomena discussed in class. The exam will include indicatively 1,000 words of writing, in the format of 10 short questions (100 words for each). All the questions have the same weight in the final grade.30%
Oral presentationOral Presentation (15%) (On schedule in class) Group presentation (max 4). Details about this aspect will be communicated to students by the professor in class. Students must demonstrate critical analysis skills in the completion of this project, not simply summarize information. The assignment will consist in a ppt presentation (between 15/20 slides) on a topic chosen by students and approved by the professor. The oral presentation will be less than 10 minutes long. All members of each group must participate in the oral presentation. 15%
Research Project Research Project (1,500 words). Individual assignment. Students choose and research a topic related to Fashion and write a paper based on a focused research question that engages with relevant theoretical premises and formulates a critical argument. A minimum of 3 academic, peer- reviewed sources is required. Upload to Canvas (Turnitin) in .doc or .docx format. 15%
Final ExamFinal Exam (in class exam) (On schedule in class) The exam will include indicatively 1,000 words of writing, in an essay format. The professor will provide students with an outline (news) to be developed into an article of the indicated length. For this article the student will also need to create a title and subtitle. Details about this aspect will be communicated to students by the professor in class.30%

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
This course focuses on the role of fashion journalism in both traditional mass media and emerging digital media. Students will learn to define fashion from a cultural theory framework and to understand its relevance to contemporary society. The course combines theory and practice, ranging from a cultural approach to the subject of fashion journalism and fashion media, to applying it to the skill of fashion journalism and working in the industry.
ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.
STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.
SCHEDULE

SCHEDULE

(Please be advised that the schedule could change according to class needs)

 

WEEK 1:

Monday 15th January (first day of classes): Introduction to the course.

Wednesday 17th January: An introduction to Fashion Studies. The father of sociology of fashion, George Simmel.

 

 

WEEK 2:

Monday, January 22nd, Wednesday, January 24th: 

Walter Benjamin and the theory of fashion as the eternal return of new, the image of the Tigersprung that connects past, present and future. Studying fashion as language, from the semiotics of Ferdinand de Saussure to the system of fashion created by Roland Barthes. Veblen and The Theory of The Leisure Class.  

 

 

WEEK 3: 

Monday, January 29th, Wednesday, January 31st

Herbert Blumer, from Class Differentiation to Collective Selection. From trickle-down theory to bubble up, the studies of Ted Polhemus about streetstyles and subcultures. 

 

 

WEEK 4

Monday, February 5th

Erving Goffman and the representation of self as a very relevant approach to the sociology of fashion (and communication). Pierre Bourdieau, Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgement of Taste, how cultural capital is relevant to determine what constitutes taste within society.

 

Wednesday, February 7th

Review for the MIDTERM

 

 

 

WEEK 5: 

Monday, February 12th: MIDTERM TEST 30% of the final grade (in class) 

 

Wednesday, February 14th

Introduction to Fashion Journalism. A brief history of fashion journalism.

 

 

WEEK 6

Monday February 19th, Wednesday, February 21st

Fashion writing Laboratory/ Writing articles for digital magazines, blog posts and posts for Instagram. Study the how to become fashion journalists and bloggers means to explore the different steps of the process: 1) the selection of the topic; 2) the correct placing of different texts inside magazines or blogs; 3) the most appropriate style to use according to the type of media used; 4) the proof review and editing part; 5) how to make titles, subtitles and summaries. (PART I)

 

 

WEEK 7

February 26th-March 1st (Mon-Fri) Spring Break

 

WEEK 8

Monday, March 4th, Wednesday, March 6th

Fashion writing Laboratory/ Writing articles for digital magazines, blog posts and posts for Instagram. Study the how to become fashion journalists and bloggers means to explore the different steps of the process: 1) the selection of the topic; 2) the correct placing of different texts inside magazines or blogs; 3) the most appropriate style to use according to the type of media used; 4) the proof review and editing part; 5) how to make titles, subtitles and summaries. (PART II)

 

 

WEEK 9

Monday, March 11st, Wednesday, March 13th

Fashion and Criticism: a different perspective. 

Oral presentations: Topics and groups must be communicated at the beginning of the week 9 (Monday March 11).

 

 

WEEK 10

Monday, March 18th, Wednesday, March 20th

History of Fashion Journalism. From the Late Nineteenth Century to nowadays. Critical analysis. (PART I)

Oscar Wilde, On Woman’s Dress

Lois Long, Feminine Fashions

 

 

WEEK 11

Monday, March 25th, Wednesday, March 27th

Oral group presentation 15% 

 

By March 25th at 11.30AM each student must have uploaded their file online on Canvas.

 

 

WEEK 12

Monday, April 1st, Wednesday, April 3rd

History of Fashion Journalism. From the Late Nineteenth Century to nowadays. Critical analysis. (PART II)

 

Valerie Steele, Calvinism Unclothed

Susan Sontag, Looking with Avedon

 

 

WEEK 13

Monday, April 8th, Wednesday, April 10th

Perspective for the future of fashion journalism. Rethinking the digital message and the standard to value it: from quantity to quality. The use of influencers for activities of branding. From bloggers to influencers and from influencers to content creators. New words for new professions?

 

 

WEEK 14

Monday 15th April, Wednesday, April 17th

New competencies due to have to enter the world of digital fashion media. Acting on social networks, From the need to have models and experts to the need of someone “like me.”s

Research Project  (15%) (1,500 words). Individual assignment. Students choose and research a topic related to Fashion and write a paper based on a focused research question that engages with relevant theoretical premises and formulates a critical argument. A minimum of 3 academic, peer- reviewed sources is required. Upload to Canvas (Turnitin) in .doc or .docx format by April 15 at 9 AM. 

 

 

WEEK 15

Monday, April 22nd: Conclusions of the course. 

 

Last day of classes, Wednesday, April 24th: review for the FINAL EXAM

The Final Exam it’s on schedule in class during exam session.