Time Schedule:
Jason P. De Leon
ANTH 269
Seattle Campus
Delineation and analysis of a specific problem or related problems in anthropology. Offered: occasionally.
Class description
THE ANTHROPOLOGY OF ROCK AND ROLL: Rock and Roll music has always been a reflection of popular (and sometimes not so popular) culture. This course examines important anthropological themes and concepts within the framework of rock and roll music. Students will also learn about how popular music recordings are produced and how culture helps us to interpret specific sounds (e.g., distorted versus acoustic guitars), symbols (e.g., lyrical meaning and word play), and cues (e.g., intentional recording mistakes and counterfeit "live" recordings).
This class is not about the history of rock and roll. Instead, topics such as the economics of drug dealing, race relations in Los Angeles, Mexican immigration, and gender stereotypes are critically examined using anthropology and rock music as analytical frameworks. Artists to be discussed include Chuck Berry, My Morning Jacket, At The Drive-In, The Replacements, The Stooges, Uncle Tupelo, Bad Brains, Fishbone, Jimi Hendrix, Sly and Robbie, Bob Dylan, Steve Earle, Richmond Fontaine, Lil' Wayne, The Wu-tang Clan, The Drive-By Truckers, Bob Marley, Manu Chao, Johnny Cash, Black Flag, Santigold, The Velvet Underground, Bruce Springsteen, M.I.A., and many others.
THIS COURSE COUNTS FOR BOTH VLP AND I&S CREDIT.
Student learning goals
To be able to understand and connect key concepts in anthropology to themes found in rock music.
To understand how culture has shaped the history of rock and roll music.
To understand some of the basic concepts and technologies used to produce modern musical recordings.
To become familiar with artists and music genres that are not mainstream.
General method of instruction
This course is half lecture and half film watching. The instructor will lecture each class on a theme taken from the readings. This is followed by a music documentary, recorded live performance, or a popular film related to the lecture topic.
Recommended preparation
ANTH 100, 101, OR 202 RECOMMENDED BUT NOT REQUIRED. Successful students are those who appreciate rock music and are open to understanding how it relates to culture.
THIS COURSE COUNTS FOR BOTH VLP AND I&S CREDIT.
Class assignments and grading
Students are assigned 2-3 songs per lecture topic and an article. These songs and articles are discussed in lecture and will be integrated into exams. There are two exams and a final project for this class. The final project involves creating a multi-media (3-5 minute) ethnography of some type of musical/cultural event. Ethnographies will have a visual (video, still photography, art) component along with a sound track and voice-over narration.
This course has two exams, a final project, and a section component.
