Course Syllabus MUS 225 Q-1X / MUS 225 Q-H1X The Role of Music in the Political and Social Justice Movements of Latin America and the Caribbean Wednesday 6:45pm-9:15pm Keene 103 Sunni Witmer, Professor rwitmer@rollinsedu Office Hours: By appointment REQUIRED TEXT AND MATERIALS There is no one required text for this course. Readings will be assigned each week from various sources. All of your reading will be posted on Blackboard. Please refer to the Schedule of Topics for the full list of required readings. COURSE DESCRIPTION The Role of Music in the Political and Social Justice Movements of Latin America and the Caribbean focuses on the role music has played, and continues to play, in helping to influence and define political and social justice movements throughout the diverse cultures of Latin America. Throughout this course, students will explore the function and effect of music within Latin American societies. Theoretical constructs such as nationalism, identity, ethnicity, race and class, as they relate to music, will be examined. PURPOSE The purpose of this course is to serve as an introduction to and survey of the music of Latin America in a political context. Discourse will focus on the relationship of music to nation-state building and social justice movements. The course provides for three hours of electives for undergraduate music majors and for three hours of required coursework for Latin American Studies majors.
GOAL The goal of this course is to cultivate an informed, critical, and sensitive understanding of music in Latin America and how this music has been used to influence society. LEARNING OBJECTIVES In this course, the primary aspects of music will be discussed including: the contexts and occasions for music making; the social organization and functions of music, and; the oral, written, and mass mediated transmissions of music. Fundamental aspects of the role of music in nation-building and in influencing political justice movements in Latin America are identified and explained. Specific case studies are chosen in order to illustrate a range of social musical types from music in small scale egalitarian communities and rural peasant populations, to the elite patronized forms of music in mass mediated contexts. Upon completion of this course students will be equipped to: Identify the music of various Latin American cultures and countries. Define and use appropriate terminology when describing and discussing music. Identify and classify Latin American musical instruments and genres. Identify how music is used in various Latin American societies. Gain an intellectual basis for understanding the development of music in diverse cultural settings. Recognize and identify the cultural values of diverse musical traditions. Understand the ways in which music is linked to spirituality, politics, class and race, nationalism, and identity formation in diverse cultural contexts. Learn the appropriate ethnomusicological terminology for analyzing and describing a variety of musics within their social and cultural contexts. ATTENDANCE Class attendance is mandatory and is factored into your final grade. Attendance is critical because much of the course material comes directly from class lectures, discussions, and demonstrations. Students are required to enter class on time and stay through the entire lecture. Any student missing class for any reason is responsible for getting notes and handouts from a fellow student. MUS 225 Politics and Music in Latin America Spring 2012 2
Each student is allowed one (1) unexcused absence. Habitual tardiness (more than 3 instances) will result in an unexcused absence. EACH additional unexcused absence will subtract ten (10) points from your grade. Students will receive no penalty for any excused absences. The criteria for excused absences are (1) medical reasons accompanied by a signed statement from your doctor, (2) unanticipated family emergencies accompanied by a signed statement from your parent or guardian, (3) a religious holiday observance, with a one-week prior notification to instructor, (4) an official Rollins College activity accompanied by a signed statement from the faculty sponsor, with a one-week prior notification to instructor, or (5) military service or court-imposed legal obligations accompanied by written proof one week prior to your absence. WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT/Research Paper Students must submit their written assignment to Turnitin.com. You are responsible for registering yourself with Turnitin.com using the following information: CLASS ID: 4718646 PASSWORD: MUS225 LATE ASSIGNMENTS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Early submissions are welcome and encouraged. BLACKBOARD Blackboard is an online component of the course. All course information will be posted here including the Syllabus, the Schedule of Topics, and all assignments. Also, your grades will be posted here so that you can keep track of your progress. A listserv has also been set up for this course; all e-mail correspondence will be directed to your Foxlink e-mail account (your @rollins.edu address). MUS 225 Politics and Music in Latin America Spring 2012 3
GRADING AND EVALUATION Exams 3 Exams Exams will be based on the materials covered in class lectures and the reading assignments. Reading assignments are essential components of the class. Please refer to the SCHEDULE OF TOPICS provided on the Blackboard site. MAKE-UP EXAMS WILL NOT BE GIVEN, with the exception of extenuating circumstances. Written documentation will be required under such circumstances and all instances must fall under the criteria for an excused absence as listed in the Attendance section of this syllabus. Make-up exams must be completed within one calendar week of the exam. Research Paper The Research Paper can be written on any topic of your choice but it must be approved by the instructor. In writing this kind of paper, it will be important for you to be able to bring out the main points of the topic and support your writing with appropriate references. In addition, you should be able to exercise some level of critical thinking and offer some subjective insight into your topic. Format: The title page should include the title of paper, name of author, date of submission, course number, citation style, and a word count. The research paper must be in a standard citation format (MLA, APA, Chicago, or Turabian). Please include this information on the title page. Citation guides can be found on the Rollins Library website: http://www.rollins.edu/library/tools/citationguides.html. Online Resources: In-library research is a vital component of writing a strong research paper. Research via the Internet, used as a supplement to physical research, can be very valuable. That said; bear in mind these two rules: 1. Always use your best academic judgment when deciding whether to cite information from a website. You may want to look for an author (and his/her credentials), a professional affiliation (with a university, organization, or publication), or other criteria which support the credibility of the website. Acceptable websites must end in either >.edu<, >.org<, >.gov<, or sometimes >.net<, depending on the site. No >.com< sites accepted. MUS 225 Politics and Music in Latin America Spring 2012 4
2. NEVER, EVER cite Wikipedia in a paper for this course. If you must use it (after referring to rule #1), use it as a starting-point to guide you to the sources from which the information came. Criteria for Grading Papers: Papers will be evaluated for organization, originality, clarity, coherence and effectiveness as well as grammar, punctuation, and usage of standard written English. Papers will be assigned a grade using the following guidelines: C papers will present an accurate report in proper format on the assigned topic (using no fewer than three scholarly texts and/or articles as references in the case of the selected topic report). B papers will meet the criteria for a C paper, as well as show creative originality and include additional scholarly and outside references. Information will be organized, language will be specific, and examples will clarify points. A papers will meet the aforementioned criteria but show an above average command of language, offer a unique perspective, and utilize multiple scholarly references. Additional resources may include, but are not limited to sound recordings and videos. YOUR RESEARCH PAPER MUST HAVE NO LESS THAN THREE SCHOLARLY ARTICLES AND/OR BOOKS AS REFERENCES. A 2000-WORD MINIMUM IS REQUIRED. LATE ASSIGNMENTS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. GRADING DISTRIBUTION Exam #1 Exam #2 Exam #3 Research Paper TOTAL 100 points 100 points 100 points 200 points 500 points GRADING SCALE A (460 500) 92-100% C (360-389) 72-77% A- (450 459) 90-91% C- (350-359) 70-71% B+ (440-449) 88-89% D+ (340-349) 68-69% B (410-439) 82-87% D (310-339) 62-67% B- (400-409) 80-81% D- (300-309) 60-61% C+ (390-399) 78-79% F (299 and below) 0-59% All grade issues must be addressed within 72 hours. MUS 225 Politics and Music in Latin America Spring 2012 5
PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS AND ACADEMIC HONOR CODE Membership in the student body of Rollins College carries with it an obligation, and requires a commitment, to act with honor in all things. The student commitment to uphold the values of honor honesty, trust, respect, fairness, and responsibility particularly manifests itself in two public aspects of student life. First, as part of the admission process to the College, students agree to commit themselves to the Honor Code. Then, as part of the matriculation process during Orientation, students sign a more detailed pledge to uphold the Honor Code and to conduct themselves honorably in all their activities, both academic and social, as a Rollins student. A student signature on the following pledge is a binding commitment by the student that lasts for his or her entire tenure at Rollins College: The development of the virtues of Honor and Integrity are integral to a Rollins College education and to membership in the Rollins College community. Therefore, I, a student of Rollins College, pledge to show my commitment to these virtues by abstaining from any lying, cheating, or plagiarism in my academic endeavors and by behaving responsibly, respectfully and honorably in my social life and in my relationships with others. This pledge is reinforced every time a student submits work for academic credit as his/her own. Students shall add to the paper, quiz, test, lab report, etc., the handwritten signed statement: On my honor, I have not given, nor received, nor witnessed any unauthorized assistance on this work. Material submitted electronically should contain the pledge: submission implies signing the pledge. Any student caught cheating or plagiarizing will receive an automatic F for the course. ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES Rollins College is committed to equal access and does not discriminate unlawfully against persons with disabilities in its policies, procedures, programs or employment processes. The College recognizes its obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 to provide an environment that does not discriminate against persons with disabilities. If you are a person with a disability and anticipate needing any type of academic accommodations in order to participate in your classes, please make timely arrangements by disclosing this disability in writing to the Disability Services Office at (Box 2613) - Thomas P. Johnson Student Resource Center, 1000 Holt Ave., Winter Park, FL, 37289. Appointments can be scheduled by calling 407-646-2354 or email: gridgeway@rollins.edu. MUS 225 Politics and Music in Latin America Spring 2012 6
TIPS FOR DOING WELL IN THIS CLASS If you attend class, do the reading, and actively participate (i.e. ask questions and engage in discussions), you will greatly increase your chances for success. Here are some additional tips: Class Lecture Materials and Study Guides All of the class materials including lectures, video & audio examples, study guides, etc. are filters toward your tests. The reading assignments are the most general and broad category. Class lectures and other activities narrow that information down. The study guides are the third level- the final filter of what you are expected to know for the test. The study guides, which will be posted a week before the exam, are your roadmaps for going back through your notes and readings. Taking Notes When we listen to music, make a special note (e.g. Listening or a musical note) for easy reference when studying specific tunes. When I focus on particular terms, peoples, places, or types of music, draw a box around the word(s) and focus your notes on that specific heading. All in all, your notes should resemble a good outline. That is, going from the general to the more specific. Studying for Tests Besides approaching the material as filters as I describe above, I encourage all of you to introduce yourself to your fellow classmates, exchange contact information, and study together. The more you can talk about the subjects of this course with each other, the more familiar you will become with the material. Please turn cell phones off prior to entering class. The use of electronic devices other than your laptop (for taking notes) is prohibited. TEXTING IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED. MUS 225 Politics and Music in Latin America Spring 2012 7
Revised 1/16/12 SCHEDULE OF TOPICS MUS 225 Spring 2012 (NOTE: This schedule is SUBJECT TO CHANGE) Week 1 1/18 Before the Trip Begins: Introduction to the Course Getting Started General Information Course Syllabus Student Introductions and Musical Interests/Academic Major Presenting the World of Latin American Music Robertson, Carolina and Gerard Béhague. "Latin America." In Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online, http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com.lp.hscl.ufl.edu/subscriber/article/grove/music/16072. Week 2 1/25 The Field of Ethnomusicology Blacking, John. 1995. Expressing Human Experience through Music. Music, Culture, and Experience: Selected Papers of John Blacking. Edited by Reginald Byron. Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press. Post, Jennifer. 2006. Introduction. Ethnomusicology: A Contemporary Reader. NY: Taylor and Francis Group Week 3 2/01 Theoretical Approaches: General Anthropological & Ethnomusicological Concepts Stone, Ruth. 2008. Theory for Ethnomusicology. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Education, Inc. Chapter 1: Inquiry in Ethnomusicology / Chapter 3: Structural-Functional Approaches / Chapter 6: Marxist Explanations / Chapter 9: Performance Theory in Ethnomusicology / Chapter 10: Gender, Ethnicity, and Identity Issues / Chapter 11: Phenomenology and Experiential Ethnomusicology / Chapter 13: Postmodern, Postcolonial, and Global Issues. Lecture: Alan P. Merriam and the Three-Part Model: Music as Sound, Behavior, and Ideas Receive STUDY GUIDE #1 Week 4 2/08 Music as Social Life: The Politics of Participation Turino, Thomas. 2008. Music as Social Life: The Politics of Participation. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Introduction: Why Music Matters / Chapter 4: Habits of the Self, Identity, and Culture / Chapter 7: Music and Political Movements. Review for Exam #1 Please bring your Study Guide and your questions. Week 5 2/15 EXAM #1 1
Revised 1/16/12 Week 6 2/22 Music and the Politics of Identity: Ethnicity and Nationalism Frith, Simon. 1996. Music and Identity. Questions of Cultural Identity. Edited by Stuart Hall and Paul du Gay. London: Sage Publications. Manuel, Peter. 1994. Puerto Rican Music and Cultural Identity: Creative Appropriation of Cuban Sources from Danza to Salsa. Ethnomusicology, Vol. 38, No. 2, pp. 249-280. Reily, Suzel Ana. 1997. Macunaíama s Music: National Identity and Ethnomusicological Research in Brazil. Ethnicity, Identity, and Music: The Musical Construction of Place. Edited by Martin Stokes. NY: Berg Publishers Week 7 2/29 Music and the Politics of Identity: The Role of Race Manuel, Peter. 1998. Music, Identity, and Images of India in the Indo-Caribbean Diaspora. Asian Music, Vol. 29, No. 1, pp. 17-35.. 1998. Chutney and Indo-Trinidadian Cultural Identity. Popular Music, Vol. 17, No. 1, pp. 21-43. Wade, Peter. 1998. Music, Blackness and National Identity: Three Moments in Colombian History. Popular Music, Vol. 17, No. 1, pp. 1-19. Wade, Peter. 2001. Racial Identity and Nationalism: A Theoretical View from Latin America. Ethnic & Racial Studies. Vol. 24, No.5. Pp. 845-65. Week 8 3/7 SPRING BREAK NO CLASS Week 9 3/14 Cuba: Music, Revolution and Social Change Moore, Robin D. 2006. Music and Revolution: Cultural Change in Socialist Cuba. Berkeley: University of California Press. Introduction: Music and the Arts in Socialist Cuba / Chapter 2: Music and Social Change in the First Years / Conclusion: Musical Politics into the New Millennium. Fernandes, Sujatha. 2006. Cuba Represent!: Cuban Arts, State Power, and the Making of New Revolutionary Cultures. Durham: Duke University Press. Introduction: Artistic Public Spheres and the State / Conclusion. Receive STUDY GUIDE #2 Week 10 3/21 La Nueva Canción Latinoamericana y Nueva Trova: Music and Social Consciousness Movements Fairley, Jan. 1984. La Nueva Canción Latinoamericana. Bulletin of Latin American Research, Vol. 3, No. 2, pp. 107-115. Moore, Robin D. Transformations in Cuban Nueva Trova, 1965-95. Ethnomusicology, Vol. 47, No. 1, pp. 1-41 Neustadt, Robert. 2003. Music as Memory and Torture: Sounds of Repression and Protest in Chile and Argentina. Lecture presented at the LASA Conference in Dallas, TX. Tumas-Serna, Jane. 1992. The Nueva Canción Movement and Its Mass-Mediated Performance Context. Latin American Music Review, Vol. 13, No. 2, pp. 139-157. 2
Revised 1/16/12 Week 11 3/28 Review for Exam #2 Please bring your Study Guide and your questions. EXAM #2 OPEN BOOK ESSAY Week 12 4/4 Jamaican Reggae and Revolution: The Music of the Rastafari Bilby, Kenneth. 1997. From Jamaica. Reggae, Rasta, and Revolution: Jamaican Music from Ska to Dub. Edited by Chris Potash. NY: Schirmer Books. Lewis, William F. 1993. Soul Rebels: The Rastafari. Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press. Chapter 1: History of the Rastafari / Chapter 6: The Rastafari and the Jamaican State / Chapter 12: Rastafari as a Social Movement: Between Charisma and Institution. Potash, Chris. 1997. Introduction. Reggae, Rasta, and Revolution: Jamaican Music from Ska to Dub. Edited by Chris Potash. NY: Schirmer Books. Reckord, Verena. 1997. Reggae, Rastafarianism and Cultural Identity. Reggae, Rasta, and Revolution: Jamaican Music from Ska to Dub. Edited by Chris Potash. NY: Schirmer Books. Week 13 4/11 Identity, Race, and Class in the Dominican Republic Austerlitz, Paul. 1997. Merengue: Dominican Music and Dominican Identity. Philadelphia: Temple University. Chapter 1: Introduction / Chapter 3: Merengue Cibaeño, Cultural Nationalism, and Resistance / Chapter 4: Music and the State: Merengue during the Era of Trujillo, 1930-1961 / Chapter 5: Merengue in the Transnational Community. / Chapter 7: Merengue on the Global Stage. Pacini Hernandez, Deborah. 1995. Bachata: A Social History of a Dominican Popular Music. Philadelphia: Temple University Press. Chapter 1: Defining Bachata / Chapter 7: Conclusions. Samponaro, Philip. 2009. Oye mi canto ( Listen to My Song ): The History and Politics of Reggaetón. Popular Music and Society, Vol. 32, No. 4, pp. 489-506. Receive STUDY GUIDE #3 Week 14 4/18 Brazil: The Tropicália Movement and the Politics of Dissent Dunn, Christopher. 2001. Brutality Garden: Tropicália and the Emergence of a Brazilian Counterculture. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina. Introduction. / Chapter 3: The Tropicalist Moment. Perrone, Charles A. 2002. Nationalism, Dissension, and Politics in Contemporary Brazilian Popular Music. Luso-Brazilian Review, Vol. 39, No. 1 (Summer, 2002), pp. 65-78 Veloso, Caetano. 2002. Introduction. Tropical Truth: A Story of Music and Revolution in Brazil. NY: Alfred A. Knopf Review for Exam #2 *** RESEARCH PAPERS DUE *** Week 15 4/25 EXAM #3 OPEN BOOK ESSAY 3