Protest Music

Catalog description

Protest Music explores the complex, evolving relationship among music, communication, media, and society. Through an analysis of songs, videos, performances, and associated mediums (like album artwork, zines, and concert posters) across a range of genres, subjects, and time periods, students will develop critical skills in media analysis, examining protest music not only as artistic expression but also as strategic communication. Lively discussions, revealing documentaries, insightful case studies, and times when we just have to crank up the volume on the turntable will show how protest music reflects, amplifies, and often shapes social movements, collective memory, human emotion, resistance, and social change. No music-playing or media-making experience required. All students are encouraged to register.