Ateneo - UPO

This is a course on American Cultural Studies. It examines some key concepts in the culture of the United States by looking at how those concepts have circulated in in popular music. It assumes the centrality of black popular music in American cultural history, focusing in particular on the legacy of black feminist performers and on the function of popular music in the context of the social and historical turbulences of the postwar years.

Textbooks. Required: 1) Angela Davis, "Blues Legacies and Black Feminism", New York: Random House 1998 (o Vintage 1999) 2) Leroy Jones, Blues People: Negro Music in White America, Harper, 1999 (qualsiasi edizione) Selections from the following texts that can be consulted in the library will be used. Students are not required to buy the following texts. Southern, Eileen, The Music of Black Americans: a History, 1987 ed. New York: Norton. Burnim, Mellonee V. and Portia K. Maultsby. African American Music: An Introduction. 2nd ed. New York: Routledge Press Benjaminson, Peter, The Story of Motown, Rare Bird Books, A Barnacle Book; New - Revised - Illustrated edition, 2018. Smith Suzanne, Dancing in the Street. Motown and the Cultural Politics of Detroit, Cambridge, Harvard UP, 1999. G. P. Ramsey, Race Music: Black Cultures from Bebop to Hip-Hop, University of California Press, 2004. Tyina L. Steptoe, ed. Jim Crow: Voices from a Century of Struggle 1876-1976 (boxed set) The Library of America Michael Borshuk, Jazz and American Culture, Texas Tech University Press, 2023 From Bruce Burgett, Glenn Hendler, eds. "Keywords for American Cultural Studies" New York University Press, 2007. Craig Werner," A Change is Gonna Come: Music, Race and the Soul of America" University of Michigan Press; Revised edition, 2006 Selections from the following texts will be discussed. Texts will be available for consultation at the library: Southern, Eileen, The Music of Black Americans: a History, 1987 ed. New York: Norton. Burnim, Mellonee V. and Portia K. Maultsby. African American Music: An Introduction. 2nd ed. New York: Routledge Press Benjaminson, Peter, The Story of Motown, Rare Bird Books, A Barnacle Book; New - Revised - Illustrated edition, 2018. Smith Suzanne, Dancing in the Street. Motown and the Cultural Politics of Detroit, Cambridge, Harvard UP, 1999.

Basic Level (18–21/30) By attending classes and completing assigned readings and activities, students will: Gain familiarity with key concepts in U.S. culture and the history of racial relations in the postwar period. Understand the role of African American popular music in shaping social and cultural relationships in the United States. Reflect on the meaning of the concept of freedom as a key term in American self-representation and how music has functioned as a political and social vehicle. Acquire basic skills in critical thinking and analysis of the relationship between music, race, gender, and culture. Begin to develop intercultural and historical competencies through class discussions, readings, and listening exercises. Improve basic communication skills through oral participation and short writing tasks. Advanced Level (27–30 cum laude/30) At an advanced level, students will be able to: Critically analyze the concepts of freedom, race, gender, and culture as represented through African American music and social change. Apply advanced theoretical and methodological tools in the study of African American cultural history and U.S. popular culture. Carry out original, independent research on course topics. Communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively in both written and oral formats. Integrate interdisciplinary knowledge into presentations and research, linking music, cultural studies, history, and gender studies. Produce original work (e.g., a podcast) demonstrating the ability to combine theoretical reflection and practical competence.

No specific pre-requisite. Interest for the subject of this class and for collaborative projects; English B2 level.

Face-to-face, in class teaching; Students' presentations; Screening and playing of multimedia materials; Guest lectures.

Non-attending students must contact the Professor for a specific reading list and assessment activities. Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request specific services and tools via the Staff Sviluppo e Coordinamento Carriere e Servizi alle Studentesse e agli Studenti, consulting the University webpage: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/services-students-physical-or-learning-disabilities Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs, once they have contacted the University Staff, can refer to the tutor in charge of the course to define the examination modalities, concerning academic aspects.

Class Participation (40%) and final podcast (60%). Final grade will be assigned on completion of: 1) Weekly readings and exercises (20%); 2) In-class presentations (20%); 3) Independent research and writing of a short final text (about 2000 words) for the creation of a podcast episode (60%).
Exam for non attending students will be a written test on open questions on the reading bibliography and on the list of tracks published at the beginning of class (60%) and an oral exam (40%).

Detailed program and syllabus will be available in September on DIR. This class is conceived as an innovative, student-centered, hands-on educational project, and requires attendance. This also means that the organization of content/exercises changes on the basis of the number of students enrolled in this class. Non-attending students should contact the Professor for an alternative, ad-hoc program.

Basic Level (18–21/30) By the end of the course, students will be able to: Identify and describe key concepts related to U.S. culture and African American music. Explain the historical and social role of Black popular music in postwar American society. Write brief, structured texts and participate in classroom discussions. Create a basic podcast script following provided guidelines. Intermediate Level (22–26/30) Apply theoretical tools with some autonomy in analyzing cultural materials. Develop more nuanced arguments on the connections between music, history, and race. Demonstrate improved communication skills and greater autonomy in the use of academic resources. Produce a coherent and well-structured multimedia project. Advanced Level (27–30 cum laude/30) Critically and autonomously interpret key course concepts using interdisciplinary perspectives. Produce written and oral work that is clear, structured, original, and methodologically sound. Effectively manage complex sources and integrate historical and theoretical frameworks. Develop a podcast that blends theoretical insight, storytelling strategies, and technical competence.