MUSC-33550 Sex, Race, and Power in Pop Music for Majors

Sex, Race, and Power in Pop Music for Majors examines social identities and relations of power that characterize popular music in contemporary society. By investigating artists and examples of music from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries through the lenses of sexuality (including gendered expression), race, and the structures of power that organize life in modern society, this course examines how music responds to and impacts our understanding of social difference. A diverse range of noteworthy popular musicians and their creative output will be explored as they relate to the organizing principles of the course. Readings from the disciplines of popular music studies, African American studies, gender and sexuality studies, and cultural studies will be surveyed in the class. Musical characteristics, songwriting practices, instrumental/vocal techniques, and accompanying visual media will be investigated for how they contribute to defining the relationship between music and identity. Social, cultural, historical, and political factors that shaped the development and reception of the musicians discussed in the course will be analyzed.

Credits

3