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- Sun Q: Reimagining Rock MusicRussian rock slowly developed in the 1960-70s in the Soviet underground, and, despite some inspiration from the Beatles, David Bowie, and other Western rock pioneers, as well as Jamaican dub music, it reached its peak and mainstream status in the late 1980-1990s, thus, becoming a largely nationally isolated cultural phenomenon. This isolation was attempted to… Continue reading Sun Q: Reimagining Rock Music
- Women’s Advocacy or Aggression?Two weeks ago, I was told that I would look like a “hardcore feminist” if I cut my hair short. To be clear, this was said in a derogatory tone—a comment intended to discourage me from my decision. When I responded with “What if I am?” to challenge the idea, a mildly heated argument began.… Continue reading Women’s Advocacy or Aggression?
- In the Shadow of Power: Violence in Elena Ferrante’s My Brilliant FriendElena Ferrante’s My Brilliant Friend transports readers to a vibrant yet fractured neighbourhood in 1950s Naples, telling the story of a friendship between two girls — Elena ‘Lenu’ Greco and Raffaela ‘Lila’ Cerullo. Against the backdrop of an array of themes in the novel such as friendship, social issues, politics, and family dynamics is a… Continue reading In the Shadow of Power: Violence in Elena Ferrante’s My Brilliant Friend
- I have felt shame.I have felt shame. I know this feeling. Insidious, pounding, discomforting. The weight of an elephant on my chest, crushing my rib cage. The tension of a prey in every muscle, standing straight, scrutinizing the unwelcoming surroundings. I have felt shame. I know why it happened. After mistreating a friend, sure. Thinking back on the drunken, foolish bickering, abrasively my carefully hidden flaws exposed: selfishness, insecurity. Fear of being misperceived, fear of being disliked. After stumbling in public, knees and hands on the ground, I swear I can feel the stares poking my back, a pin holder. The underlying commonality: a misstep, a mistake, an error on my behalf. I should have acted differently. I should have behaved. I have felt shame. I know why it happened. At least, I think. I not only felt shame for my actions. As it happens, you know, I felt it for other people’s actions. I felt shame when my mother revealed to my crush that I liked him in primary school. I felt shame when the people I introduced didn’t like each other. I even felt shame because of the barbaric actions of humankind: wars, genocides, and inequality. I guess, in a way, I feel responsible for others, even if their actions are out of my control: a little talking cricket sitting right by my ear whispers to my nervous system, “STIFFEN! TENSE UP! MAYDAY, I REPEAT, MAYDAY.”… Continue reading I have felt shame.
- Turbulent Times: Kazakhstan’s biggest femicide case and personal sentiment. This article contains a description of abuse and violence. On the night of November 9, 2023, Saltanat Nukenova was brutally murdered by her husband, an ex-Minister of Economy of Kazakhstan, Kuandyk Bishimbayev. I feel “brutally” is not enough of a word to describe the torture she went through. As the forensics expert concluded in court:… Continue reading Turbulent Times: Kazakhstan’s biggest femicide case and personal sentiment.
- Istanbul Convention Saves LivesLately, it has become the norm in Turkey to wake up to yet another tragedy. On the news, what you constantly see—alongside the persistently high inflation—is a woman being murdered, most often, though not always, by a man. The rise in femicides has unsurprisingly coincided with democratic backsliding, as the ruling Erdoğan regime implements conservative… Continue reading Istanbul Convention Saves Lives
- A Panoramic View on Spatial Repression: Intersection of Space and GenderThe privilege of “space” has never been granted neutrally, in fact spaces have always been used to assert dominance, a tool of power that guides who belongs where and who should be kept out. Physically, socially, or psychologically depicted spaces such as households, kitchens, asylums, rest cures have long served as spatial boundaries that are… Continue reading A Panoramic View on Spatial Repression: Intersection of Space and Gender
- Women’s health and endometriosis: when medicine wasn’t made for you.I was diagnosed with endometriosis around this time seven years ago when I had just turned 18. Throughout the years, I have gone through most stages of grief about my pain and my treatment, and I have written many articles and stories about it at different points in my life. This is the first one I’m… Continue reading Women’s health and endometriosis: when medicine wasn’t made for you.
- CAMP HORRORDespite a long-standing obsession with the soundtrack, the visuals and the abundance of references in mainstream media like The Perks of Being a Wallflower or… Glee, it’s only recently that I finally sat down to watch the critically acclaimed and beloved cult classic, The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Simply put, I fell in love. I… Continue reading CAMP HORROR
- The Tradwife Movement: Nostalgic Dream or Dangerous Ideology?If you spend any time on TikTok, you’ve probably come across the growing trend of women sharing their picture-perfect homemaking routines, advocating for a return to a more traditional way of life. With more than 125 million posts under #tradwife, the movement sparked attention and debate. These videos usually depict an attractive woman entering a… Continue reading The Tradwife Movement: Nostalgic Dream or Dangerous Ideology?
- Lucretia, Thelma & Louise: Damned if you do, Damned if you don’t.On the Complexity of Womanhood As a woman, I have spent hours on end listening to people telling me how to behave.When I was a child, I was first told to be a “good girl”. I was told to be calm and understanding to those around me, forgiving of boys’ rude behavior. “Boys will be… Continue reading Lucretia, Thelma & Louise: Damned if you do, Damned if you don’t.
- K-pop and feeding into unhealthy fan delusions for profitThe disheartening case of RIIZE’s Seunghan Imagine being a middle schooler and receiving several offers from multiple entertainment companies – including one of South Korea’s most renowned and reputable agencies that has fostered the biggest names in K-pop. Imagine training for two and a half years at this company, with people all around the world… Continue reading K-pop and feeding into unhealthy fan delusions for profit
- Who Would Have GuessedOp-ed Democrats lied about Biden’s cognitive health for almost two years. He was unfit for the office and certainly not fit to run a presidential campaign. It took an embarrassing debate performance for the Democratic leadership to act and choose a “winning” candidate —something they ultimately failed to do. Biden was unpopular, old, and unwell.… Continue reading Who Would Have Guessed
- INDULGING IN NOSTALGIA It’s raining outside, and the textbooks are almost menacing in the dim light. It’s a normal, predictable autumn day, and all I can feel is nostalgia—nostalgia for my family, my home, for another time. What is nostalgia? The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines it as “a wistful or excessively sentimental yearning for return to or of some… Continue reading INDULGING IN NOSTALGIA
- MusicAeterna: Reimagining Classical MusicMusicAeterna is an innovative musical project which consists of an orchestra, a choir, and a dance troupe under the leadership of the Greek-Russian conductor Theodor Currentzis. It was founded in 2004 in Novosibirsk, Siberia’s largest city, which was an unusual place for an innovative ensemble, since it is far away from Russia’s 2 cultural capitals,… Continue reading MusicAeterna: Reimagining Classical Music
- Asians in bocconiExperience of 9 Asian students in Italy. In the beginning of February, we went running. While passing a bar in a Porta Romana area, a group of middle aged men shouted at us “Ni hao”. We started laughing hysterically. It wasn’t that funny actually; the funny part though was this being a third occurrence in… Continue reading Asians in bocconi
- A duel of chess: Cinematography vs. The Human MindEver since the beginning of time, art has been the most expressive human mechanism to treasure important events and permanently preserve profound emotions. It serves not only as a keeper of memories, but also as an active mean of identification and self-exploration. The art of cinematography offers a combination of visual and speech characteristics of… Continue reading A duel of chess: Cinematography vs. The Human Mind
- On being 20by Egemen Aray When I was blowing the candles of my 20th birthday cake, I knew things would be different. The feeling of turning a new page in life felt more serious this time – even when I compare it to the day I turned 18. 18 gave me the right to vote and the… Continue reading On being 20
- ODE TO ALMODOVARI was just 13 when I fell in love with Almodovar after watching “Talk to her”. As long as I can remember, cinema was one of the most important aspects of my life, never merely a pastime. Since then, few directors have resonated with me as deeply as Pedro Almodovar. I hope to pay at… Continue reading ODE TO ALMODOVAR
- WHEN I KNOW YOUR SOUL, I WILL PAINT YOUR EYESHow often do you pay attention to people’s eyes? Apart from cryptic rhetoric quotes, and fabled, belittling narratives: how much interest do you truly reserve to stares, quick glances and unspoken vocabulary? Paris, 1906. A 22 years old Amedeo Modigliani lands in the French capital, eager to prove himself to established revolutionaries and conquer fame… Continue reading WHEN I KNOW YOUR SOUL, I WILL PAINT YOUR EYES
- The rise and fall of reading cultureFor a lot of us, books were an integral part of our childhood. Reading for pleasure was so ingrained in our day to day life that we’d fight to spend our lunch breaks devouring the last 30 pages of some sappy romance novel with a gut-wrenching, terminal illness related ending. I still remember being scolded… Continue reading The rise and fall of reading culture
- Cait Corrain, racism and reviews: a look into the scandalLast year, debut author Cait Corrain secured a two-book deal with the publishing house Del Rey Books, a subsidiary of Penguin Random House. The deal included film rights, and later, the writer obtained a partnership with the subscription box service Illumicrate for her novel A Crown of Starlight. This sci-fi/fantasy (SFF) novel is “a queer… Continue reading Cait Corrain, racism and reviews: a look into the scandal
- Bocconi: Is it really “knowledge that matters”?Coming to Bocconi as an international student who completed the International Baccalaureate, I had a set of expectations about what university would be like. I didn’t realise until later that these expectations were in fact not “universal”, but specific to the educational method I grew up with. Hence, here is my take on the differences… Continue reading Bocconi: Is it really “knowledge that matters”?
- The new third space: how social media is replacing real life communicationWhat is “the third space”?It’s the term first introduced by Ray Oldenburg in his book “The Great Good Place” in the late ’80s. The definition of the third place is a commonly occupied place, besides home (the first place) and work (the second place), that serves as a means of socializing and engagement. While, by… Continue reading The new third space: how social media is replacing real life communication
- Why poets cannot be loversTo the artists, While I am aware that the title might be melodramatic, I hope after reading a few lines of this personal take on love and art it will cease to seem as tragic. With this article, I wish nothing more but to pose some questions about the role art holds in the lives we… Continue reading Why poets cannot be lovers
- GHOSTWRITING: BEHIND THE CURTAINS OF THE PUBLISHING INDUSTRYSome specters wander around the publishing industry, hidden in the shadows. To us, they’re almost invisible, but we often read their works, and they represent one of the most efficient and profitable sectors of the book market: we are talking about ghostwriters. Who are those mysterious and controversial figures? A ghostwriter is defined as: “someone… Continue reading GHOSTWRITING: BEHIND THE CURTAINS OF THE PUBLISHING INDUSTRY
- Insatiableshe spends most of her time in front of the mirror and behind the screen.the mirror shows her glimpses of old photos of her mother and eyes that have only yet caught a glimpse of the world.the screen shows her tiktok and botox and pounds lost and photoshopinstagram face and small waists.“why do i have… Continue reading Insatiable
- Music and Danceby Anna Dalaidi The 20th century society was complex and full of controversies: dynamic and stagnant, rebellious but still deeply obsolete, rampant while on the verge of collapsing. During the first decades of the 1900s, the so-called artistic avant-garde depicted the tense climate of uncertainty and unstoppable change by breaking the traditional rules of academicism,… Continue reading Music and Dance
- Art and EMotions: Why does art make you feel?In fact, why do we know what Art is anyways? What is Art? What are feelings? A shitton of questions are present here, let’s slowly delve into them. Humans are notoriously different in our ability to perceive beauty, art, and symbolism. We are also unique in our capabilities to understand morality. No other animal can… Continue reading Art and EMotions: Why does art make you feel?
- On Adoration – November 2023“Only in adoration can profound and true acceptance develop. And it is precisely this personal act of encounter with the Lord that develops the social mission which is contained in the Eucharist and desires to break down barriers, not only the barriers between the Lord and us but also and above all those that separate… Continue reading On Adoration – November 2023
- Artistic and cultural analysis of tarot cardsFrom Playing Cards to Fortune Telling: The Evolution of Tarot Tarot Cards and Their Origin The art of tarot reading and its interpretations are deeply ingrained in many European cultures, particularly in Italy. With the rise of concepts such as the “law of attraction” gaining media attention in the 20th century, tarot reading quickly gained… Continue reading Artistic and cultural analysis of tarot cards
- Updating a “pop bible”1989 (Taylor’s Version) is the latest re-recording that Taylor Swift has put out into the world as part of her quest to own all of the six albums she initially released under Big Machine Records. As the name states, the idea is that these new versions are her versions, not only in the sense that she owns them, but also… Continue reading Updating a “pop bible”
- We live in the girl economy“girl math” and why is it valid. “It’s basically free.” If you have been on the realms of TikTok, you have definitely heard this quite a lot. The phrase is a pillar behind ‘girl math’ – the concept of exploiting logical processes to minimize the mental costs of expensive purchases. While girls have been employing… Continue reading We live in the girl economy
- I wish sundays didn’t existSometimes I feel like I mess up too often. Maybe in the moment I don’t want to realise it and push it to the back of my mind but whenever it comes up again it eats me up inside. I am normally a busy person, or I guess I try to keep myself that way… Continue reading I wish sundays didn’t exist
- I Wish Sundays Didn’t ExistSometimes I feel like I mess up too often. Maybe in the moment I don’t want to realise it and push it to the back of my mind but whenever it comes up again it eats me up inside. I am normally a busy person, or I guess I try to keep myself that way… Continue reading I Wish Sundays Didn’t Exist
- Politics of the netHOW DID TURKEY’S VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP BECOME A DOMESTIC DEBATE? After a soul-crushing election season for many, Turks are finally enjoying some sort of national unity. Rallying behind the women’s volleyball team, known as the “Sultans of the Net”, the country has recently focused on the team’s success and the ensuing backlash. “How can a glorious… Continue reading Politics of the net
- A Woman’s MealTo get it out of the way, I need to mention the obvious disordered nature of the “meal” and how more often than not the videos serve as code for food hyper fixations. Not being a celebration of it but rather the opposite. “What does it mean when we call women girls?” is an essay… Continue reading A Woman’s Meal
- On Endings – September 2023“All good things must come to an end” You know what they say, and guess what? We need things to end. Most of the time, we dread or avoid endings. They are sad, difficult, unwanted, and force us to face a changed reality. But I believe that we need endings, desperately. They provide us with… Continue reading On Endings – September 2023
- On Nostalgia – May 2023A monthly review curated by the Mass Media and Culture team This May we find ourselves longing, longing for something that has been, for something that may never be again. While this may feel very melancholic, there can be something very soothing in letting ourself go to nostalgia – a song, a smell, a picture… Continue reading On Nostalgia – May 2023
- The Rise of Digital Art: The Link Between Digital Technology and Artistic ExpressionThe digital age of art was initiated in the 60s, when artists slowly began to apply digital art techniques to television, computers, and other mediums. This had an enormous impact not only on painting but also on sculpture, music, movies, and video. Digital art started to be used for advertising websites, roadside billboards, and illustrations,… Continue reading The Rise of Digital Art: The Link Between Digital Technology and Artistic Expression
- Snapshots of War: How Media Shapes Political Narratives The past couple of weeks have been a reflection of the ever-turbulent relationship between media and political establishments. We can highlight the TikTok vs US Congress fiasco as a prime example of this, what with the proclaimed panic of congressmen vis a vis ‘China stealing all our data’. Regardless of personal convictions, we can say… Continue reading Snapshots of War: How Media Shapes Political Narratives
- Eurocentrist Narrative in Western Media: Changing It Is a MustFor the past few decades, Western countries have succeeded in portraying themselves as the better, more civilized, and morally superior part of the world. The United States has always been the land of the free, and the EU has been the land of democracy and human rights. What’s more, the US was determined to bring… Continue reading Eurocentrist Narrative in Western Media: Changing It Is a Must
- The Cold of the War and Womanhood – a Dive into the Past and Emergence in the PresentWhy is it that when a car crash happens or when we see a video of a guy on the verge of falling and most likely injuring at least half of his body we can’t look away? Unfortunately, I cannot answer this particular question, however, I will try to show you how it links to… Continue reading The Cold of the War and Womanhood – a Dive into the Past and Emergence in the Present
- On Spring – April 2023A monthly review curated by the Mass Media and Culture team Sun, sun, sun, here it comes! No more cold weather, bare trees, and gloomy gardens. Say goodbye to winter coats and hello to sunglasses and short sleeves, ‘cause springtime is finally here! It might be because of the long-awaited warm weather and sun rays,… Continue reading On Spring – April 2023
- Paid Menstrual Leave Becomes a Reality in Spain It is no secret that gender inequality continues to be present nowadays, especially in an environment such as the workplace. This manifests all the way from differences in salary to unguaranteed paid maternity leave. Accustomed to this situation, paid menstrual leave was an unexpected surprise for women to readily enjoy in 2023. The uterus prepares… Continue reading Paid Menstrual Leave Becomes a Reality in Spain
- Peace, Love, and Music: The Enduring Impact of Woodstock on Society and CultureIt was the summer of 1969 when a tiny town nestled in the heart of upstate New York became the pulsating hub of a cultural revolution that would change the world forever. Woodstock, the legendary music festival with the unprecedented attraction of being not only a celebration of music but also a declaration of the… Continue reading Peace, Love, and Music: The Enduring Impact of Woodstock on Society and Culture
- The Dark Side of Ozempic: Hollywood’s Latest Weight-loss CrazeWhat if one day the few people who have the most influence worldwide decided to experience a dramatic weight loss overnight? How could they achieve such a strong and fast result? That’s exactly what’s happening right now, but the means used are not only unconventional and not at all secret but also damaging in many… Continue reading The Dark Side of Ozempic: Hollywood’s Latest Weight-loss Craze
- How Memes Go ViralI tend to get extremely obsessed about some topic for a while and then lose all interest in it before jumping to the next one. One obsession phase I had during high school was designing the ‘perfect economic system’. I now believe there is no such thing, and any pursuit of an ideal utopia will… Continue reading How Memes Go Viral
- The Overlooked Art of Album CreationMany times, we play music as background noise. No song seems to be able to hold our attention for more than the first 10 seconds. We keep creating more and more playlists– we listen to them on shuffle, wishing our favorite song comes on next. Rarely, we might play an album from the start, make… Continue reading The Overlooked Art of Album Creation
- TRAIN CRASH IN GREECE: YEARS OF NEGLIGENCE BOIL DOWN TO ONE TRAGEDYWHAT HAPPENED? On 28th February, a passenger service carrying 350 people collided with a freight train in the municipality of Tempi – resulting in the front carriages immediately bursting into flames. At Least 57 people died and many were injured severely. The passenger train was around two-thirds full with numerous young people on board –… Continue reading TRAIN CRASH IN GREECE: YEARS OF NEGLIGENCE BOIL DOWN TO ONE TRAGEDY
- The Phenomenon of AgeI started writing this article because we are all constantly dreading growing old. I hear it from friends my age, trying hard to live everyday like the last but not often living up to the over repeated proverb. I hear it from my parents who are reeling from their new gray hairs. I wanted to find a reason to accept its inevitability and live better for it. I still don’t have it, I don’t know if anybody does but I enjoyed writing this article and I hope you enjoy reading it.
- On Forgiveness – February 2023A monthly review curated by the Mass Media and Culture team “Forgiveness is a winding road” What does forgiveness mean to you? Is there even an absolute meaning associated with it? Forgiveness can have different connotations for everyone. Regardless, it’s safe to say we’ve all been through the winding road that is trying to let… Continue reading On Forgiveness – February 2023
- Outcry Awareness: Vandalism for the Sake of Environmentalism?‘A visitor to the Louvre tried to smash the glass protecting the world’s most famous painting before smearing cream across its surface’- the news outlet Reuters reported in May 2022. Seeing these outlandish headlines some months ago definitely brought global attention to the fight against climate change once again. The attempted destruction of world-renowned works… Continue reading Outcry Awareness: Vandalism for the Sake of Environmentalism?
- Hollywood Straight from the Horse’s Mouth: Bojack Horseman as a Look Into Our Own RealityThe number of video analyses of Bojack Horseman characters would suggest that each person who watched the show suddenly became a psychologist, sociologist, film editor, or cinema critic. But, to be fair, the writers are to blame – developing a series with so much depth, humor, nuance, darkness, and reflection through the non-cringy use of… Continue reading Hollywood Straight from the Horse’s Mouth: Bojack Horseman as a Look Into Our Own Reality
- University Decision and Identity CrisisWhat do you want to be when you grow up? We’ve all been asked this question by parents, teachers, and friends. In kindergarten, one could give the most extravagant answers such as “A prince”. In elementary school, one starts to be slightly more realistic and would say something like, “I want to be an astronaut”.… Continue reading University Decision and Identity Crisis
- Designing the City of DesignMilan, Italy’s wealthiest and second largest city, has earned its title as a global city in the international economic network, acting as the capital of fashion and design with an abundance of historical and cultural landmarks. Like any other alpha city, dynamism and development are necessary to maintain its prestige. The City of Milan is… Continue reading Designing the City of Design
- Pop Art: A Celebration or a Critique of Consumerism?Artists’ attitudes towards consumerism and the culture of mass media The concept of consumerism arose from the economic, political, technological, and cultural context of late 19th and early 20th century capitalism. Since the industrial revolution, society began consuming at a much higher rate than before. The development of technology and cheap fossil energy brought and… Continue reading Pop Art: A Celebration or a Critique of Consumerism?
- On Curiosity – November 2022A monthly review curated by the Mass Media and Culture team It is easy at our age to feel as if we’re losing that spark of curiosity we often experienced as kids, that longing for knowledge for the sake of learning. Entering adulthood also means saying goodbye to the naive way of searching for answers… Continue reading On Curiosity – November 2022
- Queerbaiting: Examples of Kit Connor and Harry StylesOn October 31, Heartstopper star Kit Connor came out as bisexual on Twitter after continuously being accused of queerbaiting since the airing of the show. “Back for a minute. I’m bi,” Connor tweeted. “Congrats for forcing an 18-year-old to out himself. I think some of you missed the point of the show. Bye.” His announcement… Continue reading Queerbaiting: Examples of Kit Connor and Harry Styles
- Buddhism and the Patriarchy I am fortunate to have discovered Lama Rod Owens through the podcast “Duncan Trussell Family Hour”, where Trussell attempts to conceptualize the human experience. In one episode Trussell speaks with Lama Rod Owens, a Buddhist minister, author, activist, yoga instructor, and authorized Lama. In one word, a teacher. He and Trussell spend their time beginning… Continue reading Buddhism and the Patriarchy
- JAZZMI: 11 Unmissable Days Before you begin reading this article, I recommend scanning the QR code below and pressing play. HISTORY OF JAZZ Jazz music originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans in the late 19th/early 20th centuries, serving as a symbol of integration between cultures. What started out as dance music later turned into a more peaceful… Continue reading JAZZMI: 11 Unmissable Days
- Cancel Culture: A Tool for Social Justice or Modern-day Mob Intimidation?We are all familiar from one extent to another with the term cancel culture. The wider understanding of the verb ‘to cancel’ (someone) expresses the turning point in which the public opinion of an individual shifts from indifferent -or, more commonly, favorable- to actively negative because of actions they have taken in the past. This… Continue reading Cancel Culture: A Tool for Social Justice or Modern-day Mob Intimidation?
- On Beginnings – September 2022A monthly review curated by the Mass Media and Culture team An ode to beginnings, as so many come and go, we forget to appreciate those seedlings of opportunity we reap at harvest. Though the seasons pass, the ripeness of opportunity never decays. For everyday blossoms a vast array of possibilities, where our daily tasks… Continue reading On Beginnings – September 2022
- The Real Housewives: the Appeal of AbsurdityPeople often ask me what I do in my free time, and the horribly sad truth is that I spend most of it watching grown women argue on TV. I proudly admit that I love reality television, and the Real Housewives franchise is by FAR my favorite. It might just be one of the most… Continue reading The Real Housewives: the Appeal of Absurdity
- EUROVISION: A (NON)POLITICAL EVENTAs May arrives, like every year, so does Eurovision. The music contest, now on its 66th edition, will be held in Turin between the 10th and the 14th after last year’s edition in Rotterdam was won by the Italian act Måneskin. First aired on May 24th, 1956, the Eurovision Song Contest – originally The Eurovision… Continue reading EUROVISION: A (NON)POLITICAL EVENT
- On Despair‘No. I didn’t cry … I just kept thinking that when human beings get that way, they’re no good for anything.’ Osamu Dazai, No Longer Human pg. 176 Human suffering romanticised; a genre of drama which entertains the misery of the unfortunate, that of the tragedy. Consistent in the human condition is the notion of… Continue reading On Despair
- The Resurrection of the Modern Day HeroIn his book The Varieties of Religious Experience, William James writes that “mankind’s common instinct for reality … has always held the world to be essentially a theater for heroism.” The quote undoubtedly captures a vital aspect of human existence: From ancient children’s tales to contemporary religious beliefs to modern Marvel movies, we have always… Continue reading The Resurrection of the Modern Day Hero
- On Metamorphosis – April 2022A monthly review curated by the Mass Media and Culture team Embrace the dull pulse of growing pains. A transformation so deep it can be considered a metamorphosis that requires the hostage of our whole self. A process so human it fills mythology. Like Sisyphus pushing the boulder, we are bound to a cycle of… Continue reading On Metamorphosis – April 2022
- A Clockwork Orange: 60 Years Later“Advice: don’t read/ A Clockwork Orange – it’s a foul farrago/ Of made-up words that bite and bash and bleed./ I’ve written better books… So have other men, indeed./ Read Hamlet, Shelley, Keats, Doctor Zhivago.” – Anthony Burgess Regardless of Burgess’ attitude towards his most controversial book, A Clockwork Orange (1961), he inadvertently forced people… Continue reading A Clockwork Orange: 60 Years Later
- Bringing Humanity Back to TechnologyTRISTAN HARRIS AND THE CENTER FOR HUMANE TECHNOLOGY Tristan Harris was a former design ethicist for Google and is the co-founder and president of the Center for Humane Technology. He has also been called “the closest thing Silicon Valley has to a conscience”. Upon reflection on his previous position, he speaks about how he noticed… Continue reading Bringing Humanity Back to Technology
- Modern Feminism; A Question of Who?In today’s society feminism is a phrase that is applied liberally without any deliberation. Many women feel detached from the phrase and some would admit their disillusionment with the movement. In this article, an extracted spoken dialogue between the writers is presented, where the exploration of the definition of feminism is undertaken. Through this, a… Continue reading Modern Feminism; A Question of Who?
- The Repackaging of Sexism: Gender and spirituality on social mediaThe rise of “new age” spirituality The occult exists between science and art: covering a range from alchemy to astrology. Whether it is a daily horoscope or blaming everything on mercury’s retrograde; astrology is what is most associated with new age spirituality. With the current state of our world, many have turned to these new,… Continue reading The Repackaging of Sexism: Gender and spirituality on social media
- On Serendipity – March 2022A monthly review curated by the Mass Media and Culture team There’s that peculiar feeling when everything somehow works out your way. It’s those moments that appear unexpectedly, like a respite of warm sunlight on a day of thunderstorms, that bring color to life. It’s the feeling when you meet your soulmate at a coffee… Continue reading On Serendipity – March 2022
- The Overlooked Artistic Legacy of a Forgotten BuildingIf you live in Milan, especially in the Bocconi area, you know this building. Locally known as a “buco nero” or “fortino delle droghe”, countless rumors circulate of rampant drug use and illegal activity. There was once a literal Al-Qaeda hideout in one of its studio apartments. The derelict façade and seemingly cheerless courtyard do… Continue reading The Overlooked Artistic Legacy of a Forgotten Building
- The Contradiction of Aesthetic DiversityLuxury fashion brands time and time again spark controversies in China because of their insensitivity in representing Chinese images. In November of 2021, a photograph displayed at the exhibition Lady Dior As Seen By was once again heavily criticized by netizens. The work, entitled Reserved Pride, features a freckled Asian woman wearing a Qing Dynasty-esque… Continue reading The Contradiction of Aesthetic Diversity
- The Aesthetics of Order in ChaosMy middle-school mathematics classes were held in the basement, room 01. There was nothing pretty there, not the stained walls nor the humid smell. Most of the students had woken up less than an hour before, paying little attention to our teacher, laser focused on the clock’s minute hand. Customarily, a student asked, ‘what is… Continue reading The Aesthetics of Order in Chaos
- Milan’s Music Scene 2022WARNING: These events may be subject to cancellation/postponement, given the uncertainty surrounding Covid-19, government regulations, and daily record-breaking cases. We all know the drill. However, we can still dream, right? Today’s top global artists will be performing in 2022 in Milan’s biggest and most important venues as part of their upcoming tours. These are artists… Continue reading Milan’s Music Scene 2022
- Kandinsky: The master of color, form, and soundHave you ever asked yourself what primary color corresponds to each elementary geometric shape (i.e. triangle, circle, square)? Have you ever wondered what might be the sound of color? What do you feel when you notice a symphony of colors on a canvas? These are just a few examples of the many activities of the… Continue reading Kandinsky: The master of color, form, and sound
- Humanity’s Natural ReligiousnessHumanity’s natural religiousness: a western approach Believing in anything, whether it be a god, a spirit, or a weekly horoscope, is sure to be alien to someone who does not share the same views. Dismissing another’s faith is easy, what is rare is to hold absolutely no personal opinion about spirituality and what lies beyond… Continue reading Humanity’s Natural Religiousness
- ON TOGETHERNESS – FEBRUARY 2022A monthly review curated by the Mass Media and Culture team We all have those days where we feel like we’re standing alone in a vast desert with no one but our own thoughts. As if we’re the only person on earth who feels this way. But then we hear someone else talk about the… Continue reading ON TOGETHERNESS – FEBRUARY 2022
- Welcoming the New Year Through the Lens of TraditionsThe New Year has been celebrated around the world for at least 4 millennia but not at the same time or way for everyone. It is celebrated on the last day of the Gregorian calendar in only some cultures. The earliest recorded festivities date back some 4000 years ago to ancient Babylon. The first new… Continue reading Welcoming the New Year Through the Lens of Traditions
- The Social DilemmaWhat is The Social Dilemma? First streamed in 2020, the documentary continues the looming conversation of humans’ addiction to technology as sort of an exposé. Over the hour and a half span of the documentary, we hear from various tech experts, and former employees of these companies, and see what they have to say about… Continue reading The Social Dilemma
- The Milanese Dilemma: Homelessness and PovertyThe towering skyscrapers of Garibaldi and Citylife attempt to cast a shadow over an emerging crisis gripping Milan. The ever-present sight of those sleeping on the streets exposes the harsh realities of wealth disparity and xenophobia haunting both the city and Italy at large. A sight almost as common as Aperol Spritz and all-you-can-eat sushi: in… Continue reading The Milanese Dilemma: Homelessness and Poverty
- Drab Normality vs the UnknownThe Great (Un)Known Encounters with the Unknown are awfully unsettling and wonderfully exciting. The discomfort of not knowing serves as inspiration for curious minds ready to abandon the safety of ‘common knowledge’ and navigate uncharted territory in search of… Who knows? Peace of mind, gold, adrenaline, magic? Creativity is an essential fuel of the intellectual… Continue reading Drab Normality vs the Unknown
- The Financial Crisis of 2007-2008 Explained Through Cinema“It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.” This is how The Big Short, one of the most successful and profitable movies about the world financial crisis of 2007 – 2008 according to the Financial Times, presents its opening scene. This thought-provoking… Continue reading The Financial Crisis of 2007-2008 Explained Through Cinema
- How does Squid-Game Succeed in Cross-Cultural Communication?It’s hard to stay indifferent about Squid Game. After the twentieth time that I watched someone carve out a shape from a candy-like brittle piece on TikTok, I finally logged on Netflix and binge-watched the whole season. 456 players – gamblers, gangsters, people in debt, immigrants, terminally ill men – compete in a series of… Continue reading How does Squid-Game Succeed in Cross-Cultural Communication?
- Music in the Era of Climate ChangeMusic, being a universal language, has been at the center of self-expression since the beginning of time. Artists often draw inspiration from the contemporary world, and with the recent UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, what is a more relevant and pressing issue than global warming? Being a universal struggle that we can all… Continue reading Music in the Era of Climate Change
- Monday Playlist #11 – The World Is On FireThe impressions of floods, forest fires, storm damage, and heatwaves in all corners of the world are too intense for us to not be aware that the consequences of climate change are hitting with full force. Quoting the words of Greta Thunberg, “Without that sense of urgency, how can we, the people, understand that we… Continue reading Monday Playlist #11 – The World Is On Fire
- Is Bocconi Inclusive?We’ve interviewed a transgender student to find out. Introduce yourself: My name is Samuele Appignanesi, I’m from Marche. I am 20 years old and I’m in my second year of CLMG. How would you define gender identity? So, gender identity is often overlooked, because in western culture it’s considered to be linked to the biological… Continue reading Is Bocconi Inclusive?
- Time’s running out; Social media paralysisAimlessly scrolling through TikTok for 2 hours passes by without us even realizing. On the contrary, watching a 2-hour movie on a weeknight seems like such a huge commitment. We could have done so many other things in those 2 hours rather than sit down on our couch and watch it. Why is that? It… Continue reading Time’s running out; Social media paralysis
- The Impact of “the end of the world” on FashionWe all knew the early 2000s would have a revival when it came to fashion. Thanks to the twenty-year trend cycle we were able to evaluate the best and the worst from the decade. It emerged first in 2020 and has remained in the spotlight since, something unusual with the current rate of trends. With… Continue reading The Impact of “the end of the world” on Fashion
- In Defense of Political Correctnessgraphic by @francifausti A MEDIA TRIAL Some of you may remember that a few months ago a popular Italian comedian, Michela Giraud, tweeted about Demi Lovato coming out as non-binary by saying: “She now wants to be referred to as ‘them’, like Wizard Otelma (a popular Italian television character)” – a quite unnecessary statement that,… Continue reading In Defense of Political Correctness
- Redefining Womanhood and VR CinemaMuseums of the Future is a column dedicated to discussions with creatives who retell stories of the past through new media. Our first guest featured on the column is filmmaker and producer Carol Liu. Founder of U-MA studios, she aims to bring to her audience the stories of marginalized women throughout history, with an ‘out… Continue reading Redefining Womanhood and VR Cinema
- Sustainability at Milano Design week 2021.As our planet becomes more endangered every day, the greatest minds of the world are designing and implementing new solutions for all our necessities.Our homes are changing and becoming more sustainable too, meaning that in the future they will have way less of a negative impact on the environment. In this respect, Milan’s Design Week… Continue reading Sustainability at Milano Design week 2021.
- Boys will be what they’re taught.“The truth of it is, the shame was not mine, and for all victims in similar situations, it is not ours. The shame is reserved for every creep who has ever touched us inappropriately. The shame is on the abuser, not the victim, not the survivor.”Rose McGowan – Brave. According to the National sexual violence… Continue reading Boys will be what they’re taught.
- Antipropaganda. The groundbreaking rebellion of New York photographers“History is made and preserved by and for particular classes of people. A camera in some hands can preserve an alternate history.” David Wojnarowicz A sort of mythical aura often seems to surround the idea we have of New York until the 90s, before it turned into the glassy and hypermodern city it is today.… Continue reading Antipropaganda. The groundbreaking rebellion of New York photographers
- Is there racism in the media?Is there racism in the media? Are events reported differently based on a person’s race? If that is true what would be the effects on society? This article attempts to answer these questions and more.
- Productivity – A Modern Social NarrativeWhat is productivity? First, ask yourself this question. What comes to your mind? Are you picturing titles such as “Best productivity apps of 2020”, “10 tips to achieve more in your life”, “How to bring about your ideas in 5 easy steps”? I believe you can keep on enriching this list. Then, try and look… Continue reading Productivity – A Modern Social Narrative
- Why watch people react to videos?If you have been frequently watching videos from platforms such as YouTube or TikTok, you might have seen videos with titles “REACTING TO…” or “Funny reactions of…”. This category of videos are called reaction videos, namely a video displaying the reaction of people (or even animals) toward another video clip. The reactors provide their comments… Continue reading Why watch people react to videos?
- AR-based Instagram filters setting new beauty standardsTechnologies are becoming an active part of our life, more than we can imagine. Late Millennials and Generation Z have always lived surrounded by technology, always at the center of continuous advancements. This process has gone further than we can actually objectively perceive and what was before considered as sophisticated software is now part of… Continue reading AR-based Instagram filters setting new beauty standards