ANTHRO 106

Issues and History in Popular Music


Please note: this is archived course information from 2019 for ANTHRO 106.

Description

A survey of popular music styles, artists, culture and issues which explores facets such as genre, subculture, industrial controls, politics, the sales process, race and gender.

The purpose of this course is to:

  • Introduce strategies and the importance of studying popular music from an academic perspective
  • Approach a broad history of popular music looking at key styles and periods
  • Communicate current research-based understandings of popular music from a range of theoretical, methodological and historical perspectives
  • Assist students in the further development of key skills which include reading, writing and critical thinking
  • Get students to apply critical thinking to something they are familiar with
  • Enhance students’ understandings of the ubiquitous social, economic and artistic phenomenon that is popular music and stimulate interest in the field of study

Learning outcomes

At the completion of the course students are expected to:

  • Demonstrate an understanding of some of the key decades and sub-genres of popular music
  • Be able to apply theoretical perspectives of race, gender and power to set genre and historical periods of popular music
  • Be able to apply theoretical perspectives of race, gender and power to musics they know about
  • Be familiar with some of the key research and academic writing on popular music
  • Be familiar with some of the key genre, styles and artists explored in the course
  • Demonstrate skills in reading, note-taking, critical thinking and writing at the appropriate level

View the course syllabus.

Availability 2019

Semester 1

Lecturer(s)

Coordinator(s) Dr Kirsten Zemke

Assessment

Coursework + exam

Points

ANTHRO 106: 15 points

Restrictions

POPMUS 106, 106G