AMST-A 350 / LATS-L 400
Listening
to America
Instructor:
Dr. José Anguiano
Campus Office: 814 E. Third Street
Office Hours: TBD
Email: janguianocortez@gmail.com
Class Meets: Tu / Th 4:00pm-5:15pm
For twenty-five centuries, Western knowledge has tried to
look upon the world. It has failed to understand the world is not for the
beholding. It is for hearing. It is not legible, but audible.
—Jacques Attali
I
hear America singing, the varied carols I hear,
—Walt Whitman “I Hear America Singing”
This
course explores social, historical and cultural constructions of America
through sound and music. This course begins from the premise that listening
engenders unique subjects and methods from which to analyze the American
experience. As such music and sound are a powerful physical, social and
affective force that create a site of dialogue (within and amongst different
communities), a source of creative pleasure and arena of struggle that
confronts large socio-political issues—especially amongst underrepresented and
marginalized communities. Central to this perspective is the notion that the
value and function of music is built and shared collectively by the communities
that produce and listen to music.
The
class will listen to (analyze) selected soundtracks of American life past and
present as a sonic archive of American history and identity. The course is
broken down into thematic categories central to American musical life such as:
intercultural communication; the commodification of music; sonic stereotypes;
gender ideology; and national identity. Ultimately, students will learn to
listen deeply to music for the
social, cultural and historical lessons embedded within the notes.
