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First-Year Writing Seminar (101-8-21)

Topic

Banned! Music and Politics

Instructors

Ian Hurd
Scott, #306

Meeting Info

Scott Hall 107 Burdick Room: Tues, Thurs 12:30PM - 1:50PM

Overview of class

Governments frequently decide that a song or a genre is dangerous to the public and should not be heard. All around the world, songs are often banned, restricted, labeled, and controlled. From America to South Africa to Brazil and the UK, each ban tells a story about the social and political circumstances of the time, and of the anxieties of the government at that moment. This class looks at the history of control over music and musicians to understand struggles for power among governments, creators, and audiences. We will examine how the control of music is effected, through law, censorship, private companies, overt coercion, and other tools of political control. We will also discuss the songs that are at the heart of debates about decency, cancel culture, social control, and public order.

Learning Objectives

  • case-study histories of banned songs;
  • research skills for long-form essay writing;
  • appreciation for the diversity of means of governance

Teaching Method

pre-class readings, seminar discussion, iterated research and writing work, listening to music

Class Materials (Required)

Claire Dederer "Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma" and TBD

Class Attributes

WCAS Writing Seminar

Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements: Weinberg First Year Seminars are only available to first-year students.