This course is designed primarily to allow faculty to develop focused interdisciplinary courses which address specific issues, themes, or problems in American society. Topics vary from semester to semester. Students should consult the department's webpage for current offerings before the start of the semester.

This course examines how music reflects and shapes American history and culture. Listening to a rich collection of music of all genres spanning the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, we will explore the relationship between music and ideas about place, family, freedom, and citizenship. Students will learn to analyze songs and performances in light of debates about national character, ideology, identity, gender, and the spectacular. Musical artists may include: The Beach Boys, Tracy Chapman, Sam Cooke, Aaron Copland, Julius Eastman, Marvin Gaye, Solange Knowles, Janelle Monae, Dolly Parton, Mitski, Charles Ives, and Prince Rogers Nelson.

Repeat Rules