Summer sessions are well underway here at John Cabot University in Rome, which means more than reading course material while enjoying gelato - it is also a chance to participate in the Institute in International Communications. Dedicated to exploring media and transnational communications in contemporary society, the Summer Institute in International Communications offers many interesting events and activities to international students in Italy that all address the idea of a global community.
Over fifty years ago, media theorist Marshall McLuhan coined the term “global village” to describe the world that has been “shrunk” by modern advances in communications. His writings looked past the development of television to predict the internet's rapid evolution as an "extension of consciousness." This year’s Communications Institute, “The Global Village 2.0,” will grapple with the promises and challenges of the global village ideal by examining both the benefits and dangers of a wired world.
The rise of social media and its key roles in the Arab Spring and Occupy movements are of particular interest, as they’re great examples of how the world has become more connected through the use of technology. Study abroad students will have the chance to immerse themselves in diverse perspectives on global media and communications throughout the summer.
This year, John Cabot University welcomes several celebrated visiting professors. For example, Digital Media Culture, taught by Dr. Tracy Mitrano of Cornell University, examines the role of digital media such as YouTube, smartphone apps and other technology in our current culture. Featured guest speakers include Jeff Gould, head of not-for-profit organization SafeGov, devoted to social and political issues related to cloud computing; and Caroline Koebel, artist, writer and curator, whose experimental cinema explores the spectator's pivotal role.
The Summer Institute in International Communications also offers a host of inspiring events over the course of the summer, ranging from readings and discussions to film screenings. Some of the more interesting activities happening over the summer include an event jointly presented with the Institute for Creative Writing and Literary Translation that involves a reading by author Andrew Cotto, and a discussion forum called Global Village’s Betrayal: Mass Surveillance, Privacy and the Privatization of the Internet that tackles the issues we’re struggling with in the era of Wikileaks and surveillance.
As the world grows and technology enables us to communicate and connect more fluidly, understanding the context of global communication in the international community is essential. John Cabot University hopes to further foster this understanding through creative discussion and open forums. If you’d like to know more about the Summer Institute in International Communication and how you can study abroad at John Cabot University, visit the Institute’s website.