MUS 201-01 - Tpcs in Mus & Cult: Pop Mus/Blk Atlantic (Fall)

4 credits (Fall)

As theorized by Paul Gilroy, the Black Atlantic refers to a shared sense of identity shaped by a history of slavery, imperialism, and coerced migration that has evolved outside the dominant identity markers of the nation. Popular music has had a powerful influence on the ways in which Africans and members of the African diaspora on both sides of the Atlantic understand their own identities, confront this troubled history, and engage with one another. In this course, students will explore the idea of the Black Atlantic, the role music has played in its evolution, and the ways in which popular music continues to participate in the shaping of identity in Africa, Europe, The United States, and elsewhere in the Americas. We will examine issues of race, ethnicity, nationalism, modernity, and resistance as we explore the powerful role popular music has played in confronting a complex and ever-shifting history.

Prerequisite: None.
Instructor: Perman