Popular Music & Social Justice: Advanced ((4 Credits))

Catalog description

This course is an exploration of popular music in relation to social movements and cultural change, primarily in the United States, from the early decades of the twentieth century to the present. We will consider the importance of music and song in modern American culture, focusing on songs that have contributed to the development of labor, civil rights, peace, and feminist movements. Students will learn about musical artists who have emerged as voices of opposition, articulating issues of race, class, and gender. Throughout, we will examine the tensions between the music of activism and its production and consumption. (Students should take either the introductory or advanced version of this course but not both.)