MUSC 291: Music and Politics
Professor Andrea Bohlman
Tuesday/Thursday, 11:00-12:15 pm
In this course we consider the relationship between two concepts—music and politics—broadly, in search of ways in which they elucidate each other as well as resist pairing. The class provides an overview of the major theoretical issues the pairing raises as well as diverse case studies that underscore the range of historical and geographical contexts in which professional musicians, activists, politicians, and civilians have engaged these concerns.
The course is organized as a series of case studies that illustrate the manifold nature of political music making and music in political and politicized situations. Over the course of the semester, we explore the ways in which individuals, communities, and governments have imagined music to be integral to expressing political thought and civil society. How do people respond to politics in the songs they write and performances they give? What shapes does music take when its authors attempt to provoke politics? Why have some individuals sought to create soundworlds autonomous from politics? These are just some of the questions we will explore as we study popular music albums, musical genres, and musician’s biographies alongside political manifestos, the history of the modern nation state, and music’s significance for community formation.
Designed for students of any musical background, the course introduces students to the basic skills to think critically and write about music. In particular, the course presents music as it emerges from and responds to political and social questions. Students will develop the ability to relate musical material to the historical and geographical contexts in which it was created and performed.
