Organized by University of Bologna: Department for Life Quality Studies, Department of the Arts (DAR – La Soffitta), Department of Political and Social Sciences, INC (Italian Research Network in Celebrity Culture), in collaboration with CFC (Culture, Fashion, Communication) and CoMediaS (Comunicazione, Media e Spazio Pubblico).
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The emergency and exceptional situations linked to crisis contexts involve a series of urgencies and perspectives that also affect the world of celebrities. Depending on the type of crisis in progress, the media define new celebrities, or place an emphasis on the actions of already known personalities. An example is Greta Thunberg, who has become an icon of the climate crisis, known to the general public above all for the importance that mass media have given to her words and actions. Or the recent “celebrities with white coats”, so called to emphasize the social importance and media presence of medical experts in the Covid 19 emergency.