The purpose of this paper is to provide some indications and directions for a possible critical approach to big data, albeit in broad terms, taking into account both authors such as Bruno Latour, socio-semiotic research in the wider sense, and scholars en

Authors

  • Daniela Ghidoli Università di Torino
  • Federico Montanari Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggi o Emilia

Keywords:

sociosemiotica, big data, actor network theory

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to provide some indications and directions for a possible critical approach to big data, albeit in broad terms, taking into account both authors such as Bruno Latour, socio-semiotic research in the wider sense, and scholars engaging Foucault and Deleuze’s gaze on the question of the "society of control". At the same time, we review some examples and case studies involving the use of software and applications that analyze large amounts of data to produce representation of cultural trends (for fashion design and marketing). The intention is to start asking (from the point of view of a possible critical socio-semiotics) what this kind of qualitative and quantitative automated research can produce and how so. We try to show what values, rhetorics and narratives may be entailed in the production, use, and manipulation of data, including from a cultural and social perspective.

Author Biographies

Daniela Ghidoli, Università di Torino

Daniela Ghidoli (daniela.ghidoli@gmail.com) (Phd in Scienza e Comunicazione), ha lavorato come ricercatrice senior e strategy manager per diversi istituti di ricerca su sentiment analysis, marketing intelligence, social e fashion trends e comunicazione (come, Accenture Interactive, Nextatlas, Gruppo Armando Testa, Baba Consulting Milano). È docente a contratto presso l'Università di Torino, Accademia di Brera, IED.

Federico Montanari, Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggi o Emilia

Federico Montanari è professore associato presso l'Università di Modena-Reggio Emilia, in Sociologia dei processi culturali e comunicativi e Semiotica dei media, dopo aver insegnato in diverse altre università, come il Politecnico di Milano, l'Università di Bologna, l'ISIA, lo IED, lo Iulm, e come visiting scholar presso la University of California, San Diego. Si occupa di analisi sociosemiotica applicata a situazioni di guerra e di conflitto, allo studio degli spazi urbani e delle tecnologie, anche in relazione a studi culturali, visivi e mediatici. Lavora anche sulla filosofia del post-strutturalismo.

Copertina Mediascapes 17

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Published

2021-11-23

How to Cite

Ghidoli, D., & Montanari, F. (2021). The purpose of this paper is to provide some indications and directions for a possible critical approach to big data, albeit in broad terms, taking into account both authors such as Bruno Latour, socio-semiotic research in the wider sense, and scholars en. Mediascapes Journal, (17), 75–103. Retrieved from https://rosa.uniroma1.it/rosa03/mediascapes/article/view/17597

Issue

No. 17 (2021): Sguardi mediologici

Section

Articles

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