Popular Music and American Cultural Studies 4219-SD010-OG

The course aims at discussing contemporary popular music from the perspective of contemporary Cultural Studies, seeking to engage students in research, analysis and discussion of American music and its production, reception and influence on American culture. Concentrating on such issues as race, gender, difference, representation, consumption and commodification, counterculture and subculture, performativity and parody, the course will seek to engage students in analysis and critical thinking about contemporary popular culture, music and music videos, as well as the image of performers and their celebrity status, while also paying attention to the economic, social and political aspects of American music and entertainment industry.

Type of course

general courses

Prerequisites (description)

Prior to beginning the course, the student should: - be able to speak and write in English (at least at the C1 level) - have general knowledge of the culture and recent history of the USA.

Learning outcomes

The student should, upon the completion of the course,
[KNOWLEDGE]
• have theoretical knowledge of key concepts in the field of cultural studies;
• distinguish between different methodological approaches within cultural studies;
• be familiar with the cultural and social contexts of American popular music and its history;
• be aware of the complex nature of American culture, including popular music, its history and connections with other cultures;
[SKILLS]
• be prepared to compare and critically evaluate the usefulness of different methods for the study of American culture;
• be able to argue a point and debate another’s thesis using reasoning and argumentation based on research;
• be able to communicate with other specialists in the field, as well as interpret cultural texts and events, applying appropriate terminology in English;
[COMPETENCES]
• understand the need for constant development and practice of English;
• be able to prioritize in order to complete set goals;
• be aware of the cultural heritage of American music and culture;
• be tolerant and open toward other cultures;

Assessment criteria

- attendance;
- active participation;
- in-class presentation;
- in-class test based on assigned reading as well as issues and terminology discussed in class;
- final spoken examination.

Bibliography

Selected sources:
Adorno, T. The Culture Industry. 1991. Routledge: London and New York.
Aronovitz, Stanley. “Introduction” to Dead Artists, Live Theories and Other Cultural Problems. 1994. Routledge: London and New York.
bell hooks, “Eating the Other” in: Black Looks. Race and Representation. 1992. Routledge: New York.
Danesi, Marcel. “The Hip-Hop Era” in: Popular Culture. Introductory Perspectives. 2012. Rowman: New York and Toronto.
Lipsitz, George. “Land of a Thousand Dances: Youth, Minorities, and the Rise of Rock and Roll” in American Cultural Studies. A Reader. 2000. Oxford and New York: Oxford UP.
Miklitsch, Robert. From Hegel to Madonna. Towards a General Economy of Commodity Fetishism. 1998. State University of New York Press.

Additional information

Information on level of this course, year of study and semester when the course unit is delivered, types and amount of class hours - can be found in course structure diagrams of apropriate study programmes. This course is related to the following study programmes:

Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system:

Description of 4219-SD010-OG in USOSweb