MUCH 462 - Music, Culture, and Politics in West Africa

3 Credit(s)

This course examines the connections between music, culture, and politics in West Africa and allows students to gain an understanding of traditional and popular music and its significance in historical and contemporary perspective. Genres studied will likely include hiplife, juju, afrobeat, mbalax, and traditional Mande, Tuareg, Wolof, Ga. Akan, Vai, and Yoruba styles. Topics covered will likely include talking drums, organology, concepts of rhythm, European musical influences, the guitar, colonial and post-colonial politics, gender roles, performance practices, music and religion, music and nationalism, modes of transmission, and history and analysis of repertoire. Students will also engage with music though in-class workshops and demonstrations. Crane students only. As warranted.

Prerequisite(s): MUCB 201 and MUCB 203, and MUCB 204 with a minimum grade of 2.0.