Greetings IFS'ers:
Thanks for such a lovely evening at the local Bloomington area Contra dance. I had a wonderful time with you all, and appreciate your willingness to try new things and to explore little-known aspects of our Bloomington community. Now that our formal course is over, I hope you have had a chance to submit your final paper. I look forward to reading your work, and hope that our paths will cross again soon.
It has been my pleasure teaching you these last three weeks. Best of luck to you all in your first year here at IU.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
participatory music and the Irish music scene
Greeetings IFS'ers
I really enjoyed today's discussion. Thanks for your continued enthusiasm for discussing some very difficult topics. I am hoping that the next couple of days will offer a really unique end to our course. After going over our maps of the Bloomington Farmer's market, end discussing the various cultural and sociological issues exhibited in this community event, we began a discussion on the history, development, aesthetics, and values of old-time music and the larger folk music revival of the 1960s. Tomorrow night, we will then be able to follow up on our discussion by attending the local Bloomington Contra dance held weekly at the Boys and Girls Club here in downtown Bloomington Indiana. Now that you have read the chapter, understand the basics of the performance environment, and have had a chance to think about the nature of community building and participatory music, attending this contra dance will offer a really unique opportunity to experience old-time music firsthand.
But before we do that, tonight we will be attending the local Irish music session held weekly at the runcible spoon. Following up on our discussion today of folk/traditional music practices and the potentials of community building, it is important that we observe this Irish music session as an opportunity for community building through music.
While in attendance, I would like you to observe the music session, analyzing elements of style and performance practice, social interaction, and larger issues of music and community building we have discussed so far in class. Then, I would like you to post an observation response addressing the following issues:
In addition to this, I would like you to have prepared the following reading form Wednesday morning's class. We are going to read the last chapter of your textbook, “for love or Money.” This concluding chapter is extremely important for summarizing much of our discussions over the last three weeks. Based on this reading, you will be writing a personal reflection essay on what it means to be a productive and engaged global citizen in music.
It might be worth thinking about this assignment now, brainstorming some ideas, and asking questions of your colleagues and instructors on how best to approach such a response. In thinking about this assignment I would consider the following issues and themes:
I really enjoyed today's discussion. Thanks for your continued enthusiasm for discussing some very difficult topics. I am hoping that the next couple of days will offer a really unique end to our course. After going over our maps of the Bloomington Farmer's market, end discussing the various cultural and sociological issues exhibited in this community event, we began a discussion on the history, development, aesthetics, and values of old-time music and the larger folk music revival of the 1960s. Tomorrow night, we will then be able to follow up on our discussion by attending the local Bloomington Contra dance held weekly at the Boys and Girls Club here in downtown Bloomington Indiana. Now that you have read the chapter, understand the basics of the performance environment, and have had a chance to think about the nature of community building and participatory music, attending this contra dance will offer a really unique opportunity to experience old-time music firsthand.
But before we do that, tonight we will be attending the local Irish music session held weekly at the runcible spoon. Following up on our discussion today of folk/traditional music practices and the potentials of community building, it is important that we observe this Irish music session as an opportunity for community building through music.
While in attendance, I would like you to observe the music session, analyzing elements of style and performance practice, social interaction, and larger issues of music and community building we have discussed so far in class. Then, I would like you to post an observation response addressing the following issues:
- How many people were in attendance? What was the instrumentation? Configuration of participants (musicians and nonmusicians)?
- What were the general patterns of behavior? Social or musical boundaries? Musical interaction and movement?
- What kinds of songs were played? Who led the performance? How did the musicians decide what tunes were going to be played? How do they know when to switch tunes?
- Based on your observations I would like you to hypothesize about the patterns of behavior, conceptions, feelings, and meanings this performance event has for its participants. Do these patterns of behavior reflects larger values? What might they be?
In addition to this, I would like you to have prepared the following reading form Wednesday morning's class. We are going to read the last chapter of your textbook, “for love or Money.” This concluding chapter is extremely important for summarizing much of our discussions over the last three weeks. Based on this reading, you will be writing a personal reflection essay on what it means to be a productive and engaged global citizen in music.
It might be worth thinking about this assignment now, brainstorming some ideas, and asking questions of your colleagues and instructors on how best to approach such a response. In thinking about this assignment I would consider the following issues and themes:
- What does it mean to be a global citizen? How can this global citizenship be articulated locally?
- What responsibilities do we bear of global citizenship, and ultimately what are the consequences for imagining ourselves in terms of the interrelated local, national, and global communities we inhabit?
Thursday, August 11, 2011
People Not Places
Greetings IFS'ers!
I know today's discussion was difficult, but I appreciate your willingness to talk through some of these issues. We've had a difficult week. We've covered a lot of material, and dealt with some very difficult issues. Starting tomorrow, our focus for the class will change.
For the past week we have been discussing issues of music and identity in the context of conflict and war. We've discussed musical reflections upon 9/11, and the ways in which music and popular culture was used as a tool in the wars on Iraq and Afghanistan. We then moved to a discussion of popular music and globalization in Morocco, thinking about conflicting discourses of Islamism and westernization. today we discussed various ways in which the Israeli-Palestinian conflict have been imagined by hip-hop artists on both sides. However tomorrow we are going to shift gears slightly and discuss the nature of participatory dynamics and spirit possession in Zimbabwe.
Specifically, we are going to be working on the various ways in which participatory music is utilized to create communal bonds with the afterlife. Using a Shona spirit possession ceremony as a case study, we will discuss the ways in which participatory music engenders social integration and communal bonds. As you read through this material tonight, think about the orchestral performance we attended a week ago, comparing and contrasting the nature of participatory and presentational music.
Tomorrow's class will also be a lecturer/demonstration, where I expect everyone to come willing to sing, clap, and perhaps play along with the music. This should give you a break from the very heavy (and at times depressing) issues we have been discussing thus far.
There is no blog post assigned for tonight, so have a great time at the coffeehouse, and I will see you tomorrow morning.
I know today's discussion was difficult, but I appreciate your willingness to talk through some of these issues. We've had a difficult week. We've covered a lot of material, and dealt with some very difficult issues. Starting tomorrow, our focus for the class will change.
For the past week we have been discussing issues of music and identity in the context of conflict and war. We've discussed musical reflections upon 9/11, and the ways in which music and popular culture was used as a tool in the wars on Iraq and Afghanistan. We then moved to a discussion of popular music and globalization in Morocco, thinking about conflicting discourses of Islamism and westernization. today we discussed various ways in which the Israeli-Palestinian conflict have been imagined by hip-hop artists on both sides. However tomorrow we are going to shift gears slightly and discuss the nature of participatory dynamics and spirit possession in Zimbabwe.
Specifically, we are going to be working on the various ways in which participatory music is utilized to create communal bonds with the afterlife. Using a Shona spirit possession ceremony as a case study, we will discuss the ways in which participatory music engenders social integration and communal bonds. As you read through this material tonight, think about the orchestral performance we attended a week ago, comparing and contrasting the nature of participatory and presentational music.
Tomorrow's class will also be a lecturer/demonstration, where I expect everyone to come willing to sing, clap, and perhaps play along with the music. This should give you a break from the very heavy (and at times depressing) issues we have been discussing thus far.
There is no blog post assigned for tonight, so have a great time at the coffeehouse, and I will see you tomorrow morning.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Tip for writing really great blog posts!
You all are doing a great job on your blogs.
However, I think that you would benefit a great deal by looking at the work of your colleagues. If you are having difficulty figuring out what is expected of you, how to write a good post, or otherwise answer the questions of the assignment, it would be very beneficial to look over the blogs of your classmates. You all have some very interesting ideas and experiences. And you all bring them into your writing. We can learn from each other by collaboratively looking at each other's work.
I set up the course mother blog for this very purpose. That way, you have access to all of the blogs of your classmates, and can freely access them, hopefully inspiring dialogue and collaboration among you as a class.
However, I think that you would benefit a great deal by looking at the work of your colleagues. If you are having difficulty figuring out what is expected of you, how to write a good post, or otherwise answer the questions of the assignment, it would be very beneficial to look over the blogs of your classmates. You all have some very interesting ideas and experiences. And you all bring them into your writing. We can learn from each other by collaboratively looking at each other's work.
I set up the course mother blog for this very purpose. That way, you have access to all of the blogs of your classmates, and can freely access them, hopefully inspiring dialogue and collaboration among you as a class.
I love hip-hop in Morocco
I'm really glad you all enjoyed today's documentary, I love hip-hop in Morocco. this is one of my favorite films to use when discussing issues of globalization, Islamism, and popular culture in the Middle East. Building from our discussion today, I would like for each of you to write a review essay of this documentary, assessing the role of hip-hop in contemporary religious and political debates in Morocco.
Some themes to think about:
For tomorrow's class I would also like you to read an article I wrote a couple years ago about the development of Palestinian hip-hop in Israel, " Carrying words like weapons." We are going to be looking at the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through music, and this article will give you a basic background on tomorrow's discussion topic. the article is available in the resources folder of our oncourse webpage.
You all are doing quite well with these blog posts. Keep up the great work!
Some themes to think about:
- Thinking about the experiences of two or three artists from the film, discuss what hip-hop means to its participants. Why do they do it? What conclusions might we draw about the nature of popular culture and youth culture in the Middle East?
- How are they competing discourses of Islamism and globalization portrayed in the film? How do the artists negotiate the competing societal pressures of Islamism and globalization?
- What are some of the underlying consequences for the American government to promote and fund such a music festival? What was the reaction of the audience, and what might this mean for American foreign policy in the Arab/ Islamic world more generally?
For tomorrow's class I would also like you to read an article I wrote a couple years ago about the development of Palestinian hip-hop in Israel, " Carrying words like weapons." We are going to be looking at the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through music, and this article will give you a basic background on tomorrow's discussion topic. the article is available in the resources folder of our oncourse webpage.
You all are doing quite well with these blog posts. Keep up the great work!
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Reel Bad Arabs: Arab and Muslim Experiences in America
Greetings IFS'ers:
Great job today. I always enjoy watching and talking about today's documentary, Reel Bad Arabs. There are so many important themes and issues that are exposed within this very simple documentary. In response to our viewing, and subsequent discussion, for today's blog post I'm asking you to construct a review essay that engages the central themes of the movie as they relate to your personal experiences.
It is important for you to identify several provocative, interesting, or controversial moments in the film, describe these moments, and explain why they were memorable to you. Based on your analysis, I would like you to consider why it is that the American film industry has been so cavalier with its portrayals of Arabs and Arab culture. And further, what are the larger consequences for such action?
Tying this into your own personal experiences, I want you to discuss several of the movies depicted in this film. What was your reaction to these films when you first saw them?
Finally I would like you to consider the significance of all of this. What themes or lessons can we draw from this documentary about the power of popular culture to shape conceptions of self and other?
There is no reading assignment for tonight (you're welcome). Instead, I would like you to spend a good amount of time constructing a well thought out review essay. Post it to your blog, and be ready to discuss it tomorrow during class. Moving from this initial discussion of representations of Arabs in the American film industry, we are going to move forward with discussing issues of globalization in the Arab world. Specifically, we are going to be discussing the development of hip-hop in Morocco, with regards to the ways in which politics, gender, and religion are each negotiated in an era of globalization and accelerated contact between cultural groups.
I look forward to getting your opinions about this tomorrow in class. Be well.
Great job today. I always enjoy watching and talking about today's documentary, Reel Bad Arabs. There are so many important themes and issues that are exposed within this very simple documentary. In response to our viewing, and subsequent discussion, for today's blog post I'm asking you to construct a review essay that engages the central themes of the movie as they relate to your personal experiences.
It is important for you to identify several provocative, interesting, or controversial moments in the film, describe these moments, and explain why they were memorable to you. Based on your analysis, I would like you to consider why it is that the American film industry has been so cavalier with its portrayals of Arabs and Arab culture. And further, what are the larger consequences for such action?
Tying this into your own personal experiences, I want you to discuss several of the movies depicted in this film. What was your reaction to these films when you first saw them?
Finally I would like you to consider the significance of all of this. What themes or lessons can we draw from this documentary about the power of popular culture to shape conceptions of self and other?
There is no reading assignment for tonight (you're welcome). Instead, I would like you to spend a good amount of time constructing a well thought out review essay. Post it to your blog, and be ready to discuss it tomorrow during class. Moving from this initial discussion of representations of Arabs in the American film industry, we are going to move forward with discussing issues of globalization in the Arab world. Specifically, we are going to be discussing the development of hip-hop in Morocco, with regards to the ways in which politics, gender, and religion are each negotiated in an era of globalization and accelerated contact between cultural groups.
I look forward to getting your opinions about this tomorrow in class. Be well.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Music and the discourse of terrorism
Greetings everyone:
Thanks for such a great discussion this morning on the impact of 9/11 on contemporary American popular music. These are tough issues, and I appreciate your willingness to discuss such controversial topics with sincerity. Moving forward with this discussion, I'm asking you now to summarize our panel discussion from this morning, and write an opinion–editorial essay that articulates your thoughts regarding the discourse of terrorism and music/media's role in consolidating or destabilizing its effects.
Think about the various case studies we talked about this morning. What effect did country music have in the years following 9/11 in terms of naturalizing the discourse of terrorism and legitimizing the wars on Afghanistan and Iraq? What was the effect of these songs on the political climate after 9/11?
What effect have other types of media had on the discourse of terrorism (i.e. Jeff Dunham-Achmed the Dead Terrorist)?
How have artists such as Low-Key sought to confront the discourse of terrorism, and to what effect have they been successful?
I would shoot for a blog response of around 1000 words. Feel free to embed YouTube clips of the songs you are talking about into your blog post. Also, feel free to insert pictures or other imagery that you find helpful in making your point. Take advantage of the multimedia aspect of your blog, to help carry your point of view.
There is no reading assignment for tonight. And tomorrow morning we will be further discussing issues of representation of Muslims in American pop culture. See you tomorrow!
Thanks for such a great discussion this morning on the impact of 9/11 on contemporary American popular music. These are tough issues, and I appreciate your willingness to discuss such controversial topics with sincerity. Moving forward with this discussion, I'm asking you now to summarize our panel discussion from this morning, and write an opinion–editorial essay that articulates your thoughts regarding the discourse of terrorism and music/media's role in consolidating or destabilizing its effects.
Think about the various case studies we talked about this morning. What effect did country music have in the years following 9/11 in terms of naturalizing the discourse of terrorism and legitimizing the wars on Afghanistan and Iraq? What was the effect of these songs on the political climate after 9/11?
What effect have other types of media had on the discourse of terrorism (i.e. Jeff Dunham-Achmed the Dead Terrorist)?
How have artists such as Low-Key sought to confront the discourse of terrorism, and to what effect have they been successful?
I would shoot for a blog response of around 1000 words. Feel free to embed YouTube clips of the songs you are talking about into your blog post. Also, feel free to insert pictures or other imagery that you find helpful in making your point. Take advantage of the multimedia aspect of your blog, to help carry your point of view.
There is no reading assignment for tonight. And tomorrow morning we will be further discussing issues of representation of Muslims in American pop culture. See you tomorrow!
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Music and Political Movements
Greetings IFS'ers!
I really enjoyed seeing you all at last night's orchestra performance. I hope you all had a great time, witnessing all of the amazing cultural resources we have to offer here in Bloomington. I also hope that you managed to observe enough interesting things to help you in writing your analytical essay on Presentational Dynamics due on Monday.
Remember, this analytical essay asks that you discuss the orchestral performance with reference to the nature, structure, and values of presentational music making. I want you to discuss what presentational musics are, using last night's concert as a case study.
If you are having problems check out the chapter of your textbook on presentational music.
Also, I have uploaded the reading for Monday morning to the resources folder on our course website [oncourse.iu.edu]. Please be sure to have read this short chapter on pop music after 9/11 before class on Monday morning.
In addition, don't forget to write your movie analysis for "Shut Up and Sing!"
I will be working on grading the work you have done thus far, providing you all with commentary.
If you have any questions, feel free to email me. Good Luck!
I really enjoyed seeing you all at last night's orchestra performance. I hope you all had a great time, witnessing all of the amazing cultural resources we have to offer here in Bloomington. I also hope that you managed to observe enough interesting things to help you in writing your analytical essay on Presentational Dynamics due on Monday.
Remember, this analytical essay asks that you discuss the orchestral performance with reference to the nature, structure, and values of presentational music making. I want you to discuss what presentational musics are, using last night's concert as a case study.
If you are having problems check out the chapter of your textbook on presentational music.
Also, I have uploaded the reading for Monday morning to the resources folder on our course website [oncourse.iu.edu]. Please be sure to have read this short chapter on pop music after 9/11 before class on Monday morning.
In addition, don't forget to write your movie analysis for "Shut Up and Sing!"
I will be working on grading the work you have done thus far, providing you all with commentary.
If you have any questions, feel free to email me. Good Luck!
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Music and political movements
Greetings everyone,
Thanks for all your hard work today. I really appreciate your opinions, questions, and enthusiasm for the topic of discussion.
Our next reading examines the role of music in political movements. While there is no blog assignment due for tomorrow, this reading requires your careful consideration. The chapter is broken into two sections, each dealing with a different case study: Nazi Germany and the American Civil Rights Movement. The overarching point of this chapter is to reveal the power of music in driving and sustaining political movements. And further, to reveal how music can be used as a tool of division and de-humanization, or as a tool of inclusion. In Nazi Germany music was used as a tool to divide society along specific lines. In the civil rights movement music was used as a tool to a erase, or transcend those lines of division.
The point is to understand these twin processes as both being driven by music and expressive culture more generally.
After our discussion of this reading, we will begin watching a documentary on American popular music in the years following 9/11. It is important that you have read this chapter, and understand its major components before we begin watching this documentary.
Have a great evening, and I will see you tomorrow morning bright and early.
Thanks for all your hard work today. I really appreciate your opinions, questions, and enthusiasm for the topic of discussion.
Our next reading examines the role of music in political movements. While there is no blog assignment due for tomorrow, this reading requires your careful consideration. The chapter is broken into two sections, each dealing with a different case study: Nazi Germany and the American Civil Rights Movement. The overarching point of this chapter is to reveal the power of music in driving and sustaining political movements. And further, to reveal how music can be used as a tool of division and de-humanization, or as a tool of inclusion. In Nazi Germany music was used as a tool to divide society along specific lines. In the civil rights movement music was used as a tool to a erase, or transcend those lines of division.
The point is to understand these twin processes as both being driven by music and expressive culture more generally.
After our discussion of this reading, we will begin watching a documentary on American popular music in the years following 9/11. It is important that you have read this chapter, and understand its major components before we begin watching this documentary.
Have a great evening, and I will see you tomorrow morning bright and early.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Emotion and meaning in music
greetings everyone:
great job today. I really enjoyed hearing about your musical songprint. I especially appreciate all of your hard work in working through yesterday's reading assignment. These are not easy concepts to learn and master, but over the course of our time together they will be extremely helpful in discussing the ways in which music acquires meaning for its performers and audiences.
Building from our discussion, today's assignment requires you to create a blog entry on emotion and meaning and music. I would like you to scour the Internet for video clips that in someway communicate to you feelings of:
in addition to this, don't forget to read the chapter of your textbook, “habits of the self, identity, and culture.”
And please don't forget to comment upon two of your classmates blog sites from class today.
Have a great afternoon, and I will see you tomorrow morning.
great job today. I really enjoyed hearing about your musical songprint. I especially appreciate all of your hard work in working through yesterday's reading assignment. These are not easy concepts to learn and master, but over the course of our time together they will be extremely helpful in discussing the ways in which music acquires meaning for its performers and audiences.
Building from our discussion, today's assignment requires you to create a blog entry on emotion and meaning and music. I would like you to scour the Internet for video clips that in someway communicate to you feelings of:
- sadness/mourning
- joy
- belonging (what it means to be part of a group...)
- gender (what it means to be who you are in your body...)
in addition to this, don't forget to read the chapter of your textbook, “habits of the self, identity, and culture.”
And please don't forget to comment upon two of your classmates blog sites from class today.
Have a great afternoon, and I will see you tomorrow morning.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Songprint!
Greetings IFS'ers:
Today was a great class. I am extremely excited to get the chance to get to know you all during this class. Now that we have started making the connections between music and identity, our first writing exercise invloves creating a musical songprint. For this exercise you will need to assemble your collection of music tracks into a coherent narrative, introducing who you are, where you are from, what kind of life you lead, and what you value.
Think about the connections we spoke about today: connections between memory, experience, identity, and values. What is it about these songs that resonates with you? And how do you use these songs to identify yourself to others?
Embed YouTube clips for each of your selected songs into your blog post, separating each with a brief narrative statement explaining its significance to your life.
I can't wait to see what you come up with!
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