MUSIC INDUSTRIES AND POPULAR CULTURE

MUSIC 203

Examination of the role played by popular song in the formation of ethnic and racial identities in the United States with particular emphasis placed on both music's role in the perpetuation of racism and its use as a form of protest and anti-racist activism.

COMARTS 449

Sound plays a crucial but understudied role in experiences of media and cultural life. From the mundane sounds of our daily routines to the irresistible refrains of our favorite songs, sound (in its various guises as noise, music, echo, vibration, etc.) is fundamental to communications media and, more broadly, to our perceptions of the world around us. An introduction to the emerging field of sound studies and an investigation into the role sound and music (or lack thereof) play in various communications media. Through audio assignments such as the creation of podcasts, learn the basics of digital audio recording and editing software and how to present and distribute audio content via the Internet, specifically as podcasts. Gain practical skills for creating digital audio projects and a deeper appreciation for how paying attention to sound leads to unique understandings of history, culture, and media technologies.

MUSIC 240

Explore the relationships between the arts as they intersect with aspects of society, historically and in the present day, through various visual, auditory, and text-based expressive forms. Examine personal life experiences and ideas along with current issues related to music and art, and practice self-expression through the arts. No previous experience in any art form is necessary.

COMARTS 545

Explore the complexities of what it means to be a media audience. Consider how audiences engage media thoughtfully and actively. Approach audiences both qualitatively and theoretically, focusing on how audiencehood becomes more than just a position of watching, listening, and downloading the intended message. Study audiencehood as a site of voice, agency, identity construction, play, activism, and meaning-making across various media audience types - fans, haters, casual viewers; television, film, social media, games, and other media consumers; watchers, listeners, readers, gamers, and users; networked communities and isolated individuals. Analyze the different worlds, affective positions, practices, and socialities that make up "the audience."

COMARTS 351

Critical overview of the cultural industries driving television in the United States, from broadcast networks and cable to downloading and streaming, focusing on economic and regulatory structures, programming practices, labor, globalization, audiences, and adaptations to changing conditions in the digital age.