Embedded Files
Week 1 To-Do List
Week 1 To-Do List
Read the "Quickstart Guide"
Watch the video introduction below
Explore the lesson below (Part 1 & Part 2)
After finishing the lesson, choose how you'll earn points this week.
On Blackboard, you have multiple opportunities to earn points. Post submissions on each relevant Discussion Board. Pay attention to each deadline! ***If you're reading this Thursday, instructions on the Discussion Boards have not been posted yet. They will appear on Friday***
First deadline: Friday, Jan. 3rd: Icebreakers (3 points)
Video Introduction
Video Introduction
This is a quick introduction to the class. Research shows that human attention span can't handle long videos, so I'll purposely use a free platform called Loom that limits my videos to 5 min. I expect you to watch these each time I post one. This week there are two, one about the course overall, and one about the logistics of completing the lesson and your work.
Note: I made this video last year. Everything is relevant for this semester, though the total points in the course will be slightly different (I altered the setup based on feedback and observations from last year).
Weekly Routine
Weekly Routine
Each week, do the following:
Thursday: Read the latest announcement(s) on Blackboard
Explore my video for the week, then the lesson material
After the lesson, you have a chance to complete a quest on a life skill
Go to Blackboard's discussion board and submit work for the week.
Watch my video to the right for more info. on this routine -->
Note: This is also a recycled video from last year. Everything is still relevant, the only differences are that task options and point values have changed slightly. Refer to the Quickstart Guide on this website for current task options and point values. For instance, your checkpoints will be worth 5 points each instead of 5 points altogether. That was a request from students last year, and I took their feedback into account when building this version of the course. I take student feedback seriously!
The Lesson
The Lesson
This lesson consists of two parts. Before beginning the lesson, watch the videos above if you haven't already for info. on how to approach this course. Then continue with the lesson below.
Part 1: Keywords help us navigate the concepts we'll cover ahead. Explore the material in #1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 below, then choose either the podcast (#6) or paper (#7) for a specific case of cultural representation in the arts. This section of the lesson should take 1 to 1.5 hours to explore.
Keywords:
Globalization
Cultural appropriation vs. appreciation
Acculturation & cultural assimilation
Globalization & appropriation continued
Cultural appropriation in music
Cultural surrogate of African American dance culture (podcast choice)
Cultural appropriation and embodied Caribbeanization (article choice)
Part 2: Begin to define "Global America" by exploring music from the US. This section should also take 1-1.5 hours to explore.
Part 1: Keywords
Part 1: Keywords
This section covers terms we will refer to as we explore this concept of "global America." Please access the first three, then choose between the fourth or fifth.
- Globalization (4-min. video)
The term "globalization" applies to more than just music, and it is one we must be familiar with when exploring music imported to and/or exported from the US. Watch the video to the right for an introduction.
If you prefer to read about globalization, here is a definition.
2. Cultural Appropriation & Appreciation
2. Cultural Appropriation & Appreciation
Music is more than something we listen to casually. There are layers of histories, cultures, and messages represented...and erased. It is important to learn the background of what we listen to so that we can be respectful and thoughtful consumers. One step in becoming smarter listeners is to recognize when cultural appropriation or cultural appreciation are present in music.
Examples in Music (13-min. video)
Examples in Music (13-min. video)
Pay extra attention to the first 3 minutes for differences between appreciating vs. appropriating culture.
Click the drop-down arrow for timestamps of video topics.
Timestamps:
0-2:58: Introduction of terms, examples of appropriation vs appreciation
2:58: Native American culture, Pharrell Williams
5:36: Japanese & Indian culture, Gwen Stefani, Coldplay, Beyonce, Major Lazer
7:40: African American and African culture, cornrows, whitewashing, fashion, diversity
11:34: Issues in pop culture, hip-hop, influence of media, marketing, problematic terms (exotic, Oriental, etc.), marginalization
13:08: Why is this important and why should we care?
3. Acculturation & Cultural Assimilation (article)
3. Acculturation & Cultural Assimilation (article)
The line between cultural appropriation and appreciation is fuzzy. This article gives examples of artists accused of appropriation in their music and introduces two additional terms: Acculturation and cultural assimilation.
Bottom line: "What is most important is that you do make every effort to engage, and to be mindful and ask yourself if what you’re doing is authentic, thoughtful, and respectful."
4. Music on The Move (book excerpt)
4. Music on The Move (book excerpt)
Music scholar Danielle Fossler-Lussier's 2020 book Music on The Move discusses many of the key terms we'll refer to continuously in this course. Her entire book is interesting (and doesn't have too much academic jargon), but for this lesson we're just reading a few excerpts.
Use your BC account to log into CUNYFirst and access a pdf of the book here: https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/20.500.12657/39462/1/9780472901289.pdf
Sections to read:
Introduction: This is 11 pages. Pay particular attention to the section on globalization.
Part 2, Chapter 3: The African Diaspora in the United States: This entire chapter is great, but if you don't want to read it all, focus on pp. 68-80, where the concept of appropriation is discussed.
Congrats! You've just found the hidden bonus of the week. To earn 1 extra bonus point, send Prof. S an email sharing a quote from the book that stood out to you, with the page number. What stood out to you about it? Here's one that I really like, from p. 4: " Music is not an object: it is an activity, something people do....It runs along the lines of human connection to new places and links people to one another—even when those people are not together in one place." Very fitting for this asynchronous, online course!
5. Where To Draw the line? (article)
5. Where To Draw the line? (article)
I hate that the website where this article is housed is full of ads, but I keep it in the course because it has many good sources referenced, and breaks down the topics we learned about above so succinctly, with real-world examples.
What is respectful appreciation of culture, and what is disrespectful appropriation? Who draws the line? Are any voices left out? There are no right or wrong answers; this is a gray area of music-making.
The second paragraph drives home why considering appropriation vs. appreciation is important:
While music may join groups of people from various backgrounds and social categories, it's particularly segregated along racial lines in its genres, histories, and teachings. The roles of whiteness and blackness in American music are not always clearly defined, but we need to be able to recognize when there are problems and exploitations of cultures in music.
6. If you like podcasts...
6. If you like podcasts...
There is a great episode of Rough Translation about representation and the concepts we've discussed in this lesson within the Lindy Hop dance community internationally.
It's not mandatory since it's a 43-minute episode, but if you like podcasts I recommend this one.
Lindy Hop originated in Harlem and spread across the world - even as far as Sweden! This podcast tells the story of an African American Lindy Hop dancer from Harlem - LaTasha Barnes - and her experience traveling to Sweden to learn more about this dance style she grew up with, from Swedish people who seem to be more expert in the dance than she is. She introduces us to the term "cultural surrogate" as she explores the lines between cultural representation, appropriation, and appreciation.
This is an academic paper published by scholar Ryan Persadie in 2019. You can search for academic sources like this in your own research by using Google Scholar (scholar.google.com) instead of regular Google for your searches. The abstract is as follows:
In ethnomusicological and popular music studies, scholarly accounts of cultural appropriation enacted by musicians have largely focused on white/black and settler/indigenous power imbalances. In this article, I turn to performances of intra-racial appropriation by Canadian rapper Drake. I argue that my conceptualization of “embodied Caribbeanization” provides a necessary framework to interrogate the distinct processes, mechanisms, methodologies, and negotiations by which Drake accesses Caribbeanness as a resource to perform his Torontonian diasporic subjectivity or “6ixhood,” albeit often at the cost of exploiting and rendering invisible salient embodied knowledges located within the archive of Caribbean music, dance, language, and vocality.
What do you think? Do you agree with Persadie's perspective on intra-racial appropriation?
***When you read academic papers, don't read the entire thing word for word; I didn't learn how to skim papers until grad school and I truly wish someone had taught me earlier. When you skim a paper, start with the introduction and look for important points. For instance, Persadie has a list on page 57 of topics he will cover. Then, search for the sub-headings and read the first paragraph of each section to get a sense of what it's about, then skim the rest of each section to make sure you get the gist. Finally, read the conclusion in depth, which should summarize everything covered in the paper. This is not cheating; this is a legitimately important skill to use in your academic pursuits. I never learned, so I'm hoping this will help you avoid all the headaches I had in grad school trying to figure this out for myself. You'll retain more of the important points when you skim this way than if you try to read a long academic paper in depth.***
Part 2: Music in the US
Part 2: Music in the US
This portion of the lesson introduces music that originated in the US. From the list below, choose at least two topics to explore in depth (read or watch completely so you are able to discuss specific details) and two to explore briefly (skim to the point that you're able to discuss the major points).
Decision paralysis? If you can't decide which topics to choose, roll a die to decide for you. Here is an online D7.
Native American music
American music & the transatlantic slave trade
The Blues
Music styles born in NYC
NYC music landmarks
African traditions in African-American music
Norteno & tejano
- Native American Music (30-min. video)
When learning about "American" music, we should include Native American music, yet it often gets left out of music curricula. This documentary is on music as a form of protest for contemporary Native American artists. This video was created in 2014.
2. American Music & The Transatlantic Slave Trade (30-min. podcast)
2. American Music & The Transatlantic Slave Trade (30-min. podcast)
This podcast episode is part of the 1619 Project from The New York Times, described as an initiative "observing the 400th anniversary of the beginning of American slavery." This episode focuses specifically on music. You can listen to this segment or read the article linked below.
We are listening to this podcast because it shares an important angle of music history. Many styles of popular music today are linked to the transatlantic slave trade. Enslaved Africans brought their music practices with them to the US, and as those practices morphed and evolved, new genres emerged like the blues, jazz, rock, R&B, hip-hop, pop, etc. This is a darker part of American music history, but it is one that we cannot overlook.
If you'd rather read about this than listen to a podcast, here is an article that accompanied the podcast's release.
All CUNY students and staff are eligible for a free NYT account, which you will need to access this source. Click here to sign up if you haven't already.
3. The Blues (website)
3. The Blues (website)
Out of all the styles of music that emerged in the US after the transatlantic slave trade, the blues is arguably the one that has had the most influence on everything that came next. All the styles mentioned above - jazz, rock, R&B, hop-hop, pop, etc. - grew out of the blues. If the transatlantic slave trade affected what music traditions were brought to the US, then the blues is its first child, a cornerstone of the modern music industry.
The resource shared for this portion of the lesson is the PBS Blues Classroom. It was created for K-12 music classrooms but works equally well for college; I even used references from this site in my grad. school papers! The "Blues Road Trip" map provides a nice overview of various styles of blues music and which parts of the US they came from. Access the road map here: https://www.pbs.org/theblues/roadtrip/mapmain.html
If you choose to explore this website for your in-depth topic this week, please make sure to really explore it; learn about specific artists in the "Songs & Artists" section, read the background essays in the "Blues Classroom" section, and click on various regions on the "Blues Road Trip" map to learn about how different styles of blues music were carried cross-country during the Great Migration.
4. Music Styles Born in NYC (60-min video)
4. Music Styles Born in NYC (60-min video)
This BBC documentary covers the origins of three styles of music born in NYC: hip-hop, disco, and punk. Even just watching 1/4 of it will give you a sense of the history of these music styles. There are more styles of music from NYC that aren't covered (swing, NYC-style salsa, etc.). You're welcome to explore any others if you do a #teach task.
If you're choosing this as your "skim" topic, check out these links. Each of these is a very short video (~2 min) about NYC music history:
5. NYC Music Landmarks (2 websites)
5. NYC Music Landmarks (2 websites)
In addition to being the birthplace of music genres, New York City plays an integral role in advancing the careers of musicians, and for making music publications and records more accessible. This section of the lesson focuses on landmarks integral to the music industry. You might consider visiting one of these areas in person for an #explore task.
The Appollo Theater website provides some history on that venue. Make sure to watch the videos associated with each era on the timeline.
Tin Pan Alley - The area on 28th St. between Broadway and 5th Ave. in Manhattan - is arguably one of the most influential areas in the US in American music history. As historian Sam Bessen states, "Where now there are electronic stores and bridal boutiques, the turn of the [18th] century saw at least a dozen sheet music publishers crammed into every brownstone on the block, in constantly shifting competition. A New Yorker walking down 28th street would have heard composers practicing new songs, young song pluggers on each corner competing to sell the latest hits, and tinny upright pianos through every open window. This cacophony of sounds reportedly led Monroe H. Rosenfeld to call this block, 'Tin Pan Alley.'"
The website linked above has information, videos, and even a map of Tin Pan Alley. I linked the "Legacy" page, which includes a documentary called "Secrets of New York - Tin Pan Alley." It's worth watching for the history of this area of Manhattan. I also linked a StoryMap from the "Education and Resources" section. The "History" page also has some other useful information. Explore whichever parts of the webpage you'd like, but please read/watch at least one section in depth.
6. African traditions in African-American Music (E-Reader)
6. African traditions in African-American Music (E-Reader)
In this course, we will reference a digital textbook (e-reader) created by Prof. Marc Thorman for MUSC 3101. This week, explore the section linked at the right ("African Traditions in Early African-American Genres") and the one linked at the end of the e-reader page ("Evolution and Hybridization of African America Music"). Learn about early African American music traditions such as spirituals and work songs, as well as more modern ones like rock and hip-hop. Listen to the music examples included in the text as you explore.
This e-reader is essentially a textbook version of some of the other topics included earlier in this lesson. You're welcome to explore this in addition to OR instead of the other topics in the lesson.
7. Norteno & Tejano (e-reader)
7. Norteno & Tejano (e-reader)
This course tends to define "America" as the United States; most of the music we will cover will be in comparison between music practices that originated in the US and influence from other parts of the world. However, this is slightly problematic, since there is much more to "American" music than just the US. The E-Reader covers two styles of music that are a different kind of American, coming from music traditions of Northern Mexico.
*Note that this *still* leaves out much music from countries in North America (like Canada) and Latin American music traditions. You're absolutely welcome to explore any of these for a mini lesson.
Another "American" music topic
Another "American" music topic
Prof. S' favorite instrument: The Vibraphone
Prof. S' favorite instrument: The Vibraphone
I play an instrument commonly used in American jazz music, the vibraphone. This is a sort of "mini lesson" on the instrument and its use in jazz.
What's Next?
What's Next?
After finishing the lesson, you have some options for earning points:
First, you can complete the Quest below on a life skill. Quests will always be unrelated to music content but will benefit your personal and professional life.
Second, check the Quickstart Guide for choices on how to earn points. The major ways to earn points:
Mini Lesson: Choose a topic you want to learn more about that relates to something in the lesson. Follow the rubric on Blackboard's Discussion Forum to create a mini lesson on your topic. 15 points.
Class Playlist: Find a piece of music you'd never heard before that relates to the lesson. Listen to the piece and share it on our class playlist. 5 points.
Explore: Follow the instructions on the "Explore" forum on Blackboard to learn more about something related to the topic of the week. 5 points.
Checkpoint 1: This is mandatory. I'll post an announcement on Blackboard when it's open. 5 points.
Bonus: Go to the "Bonus" discussion forum on Blackboard and complete the activity there. 1 point.
***Edit: This is referring to your Accountability Group forum. Click "Groups" in the Blackboard navigation tab and visit your group to complete the activity.***
***If you're reading this Thursday, instructions for these tasks have not been published yet. More info. will be provided tomorrow (Friday)***
All work is due Wednesday, 11:59 PM unless otherwise noted.
Questions? Contact Prof. S on the "Questions" forum on Blackboard or send an email.
Quest 1: Time Management
Quest 1: Time Management
Each week in addition to music content, you have a chance to develop a life skill through a quest related to professional development. Submit the Google Form below by Wednesday, 11:59 PM to earn 5 points.
Each week in addition to music content, you have a chance to develop a life skill through a quest related to professional development. Submit the Google Form below by Wednesday, 11:59 PM to earn 5 points.
Time management is an incredibly important skill that gets too little attention in formal education settings. Here is an opportunity to earn points while working on yours.
Instructions:
Skim through the list linked at right and choose one approach you're not already using. Read your chosen section in depth and reflect on what you can do to implement that aspect of time management in your life. Try it out, and after at least a few day, report on the experience on the Google Form below.
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