This course is situated within the field of American Cultural Studies. It explores key concepts in United States culture—most notably the idea of freedom—by examining the ways in which these concepts have circulated through popular music. The course proceeds from the premise that Black popular music occupies a central place in American cultural history, with particular attention to the legacy of Black feminist performers and to the role of popular music as a site of cultural production and political intervention during the social transformations and historical upheavals of the postwar period.
Through the study of theoretical texts, historical sources, audiovisual materials, and musical works, the course traces major moments in the history of African American music in the United States, from the historical roots and cultural meanings of the blues to later developments in popular music. Particular attention is devoted to the blues as a cultural form and as a space for the elaboration of individual and collective experiences, as well as to the contribution of African American women performers, artists, and intellectual traditions to the redefinition of identity, autonomy, and freedom.
The course combines close reading, critical listening, and independent research. Students will engage with scholarly texts and musical materials, developing their own interpretations of the role of music in American culture.
Through the study of theoretical texts, historical sources, audiovisual materials, and musical works, the course traces major moments in the history of African American music in the United States, from the historical roots and cultural meanings of the blues to later developments in popular music. Particular attention is devoted to the blues as a cultural form and as a space for the elaboration of individual and collective experiences, as well as to the contribution of African American women performers, artists, and intellectual traditions to the redefinition of identity, autonomy, and freedom.
The course combines close reading, critical listening, and independent research. Students will engage with scholarly texts and musical materials, developing their own interpretations of the role of music in American culture.
- Enseignant: Cristina Iuli