21M.294 | Spring 2005 | Undergraduate

Popular Musics of the World

Readings

This page presents a complete reading list for the course, followed by a table listing the particular assigned readings for each lecture session.

Readings List

Taylor, Timothy. Global Pop. New York, NY: Routledge, 1997. ISBN: 9780415918725.

Manuel, Peter. Popular Musics of the Non-Western World. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 1989. ISBN: 9780195053425.

Stokes, Martin. “Globalization and the Politics of World Music.” In The Cultural Study of Music. Edited by M. Clayton, T. Herbert, and R. Middleton. New York, NY: Routledge, 2003. ISBN: 9780415938457.

Garofalo, Reebee. “Whose World, What Beat: The Transnational Music Industry, Identity, and Cultural Imperialism.” Word of Music 35, no. 2 (1993): 16-32.

Tang, Patricia. “Senegal.” In The Continuum Encyclopedia of Popular Music of the World. Vol. 6, Africa and Middle East. Edited by John Shepherd, et al. London, UK: Continuum International Publishing Group, 2005. ISBN: 9780826474360.

———. “Negotiating Performance in Senegalese Popular Music: Sound, Image, and The Ethnomusicologist as Exoticized ‘Other’.” Journal of Popular Music Studies 17, no. 3 (December 2005): 275-300.

Stewart, Gary. Breakout: Profiles in African Rhythm. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 1992. ISBN: 9780226774060.

Collins, John. West African Pop Roots. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press, 1992. ISBN: 9780877229162.

Turino, Thomas. Nationalists, Cosmopolitans, and Popular Music in Zimbabwe. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 2000. ISBN: 9780226817026.

Meintjes, Louise. “Paul Simon’s Graceland, South Africa, and the Mediation of Musical Meaning.” Ethnomusicology 36, no. 1 (Winter 1990): 37-73.

Feld, Steven. “Notes on World Beat.” In Music Grooves: Essays and Dialogues. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 1995. ISBN: 9780226429564.

Mitchell, Tony, ed. Global Noise: Rap and Hip-Hop outside the U.S.A. Middletown, CT: Wesleyan University Press, 2002. ISBN: 9780819565020.

Herson, Benjamin. Fat Beats Dope Rhymes and Thug Lives: Youth, Politics and Hip-Hop in Dakar. Undergraduate Thesis, Hampshire College, 2000.

Morelli, Sarah. “Who is a Dancing Hero? Rap, Hip-Hop and Dance in Korean Popular Culture.” In Global Noise: Rap and Hip-Hop outside the U.S.A. Middletown, CT: Wesleyan University Press, 2002. ISBN: 9780819565020.

Condry, Ian. “A History of Japanese Hip-Hop.” In Global Noise: Rap and Hip-Hop Outside the U.S.A. Middletown, CT: Wesleyan University Press, 2002. ISBN: 9780819565020.

———. “Japanese Hip-Hop and the Globalization of Popular Culture.” In Urban Life: Readings in the Anthropology of the City. 4th ed. Edited by George Gmelch and Walter Zenner. Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press, 2001. ISBN: 9781577661948.

Wong, Deborah. “‘I Want the Microphone’: Mass Mediation and Agency in Asian-American Popular Music.” The Drama Review 38, no. 3 (Fall 1994): 152-167.

Danielson, Virginia. The Voice of Egypt: Umm Kulthum, Arabic song, and Egyptian Society in the Twentieth Century. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 1998. ISBN: 9780226136127.

Huq, Rupa. “Raving, Not Drowning: Authenticity, Pleasure and Politics in the Electronic Dance Music Scene.” In Popular Music Studies. Edited by David Hesmondhalgh and Keith Negus. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2002. ISBN: 9780340762486.

Sylvan, Robin. “The Dance Music Continuum: House, Rave, and Electronic Dance Music.” In Traces of the Spirit: The Religious Dimensions of Popular Music. New York, NY: New York University Press, 2002. ISBN: 9780814798096.

Chang, Kevin O’Brien, and Wayne Chen. Reggae Routes. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press, 1997. ISBN: 9781566396295.

Potash, Chris, ed. Reggae, Rasta, Revolution: Jamaican Music from Ska to Dub. New York, NY: Schirmer Books, 1997. ISBN: 9780028647289.

Assigned Readings

LEC # TOPICS Readings
Introduction
1 Preliminaries; Overview of Course  
2-3 World Music and Globalization: Current Perspectives

Taylor. Chapter 1, pp. 1-37.

Manuel. pp. 1-23.

Stokes.

Garofalo.

Afropop: African Stars, Sounds and Genres
4 Artists Gone International: Youssou Ndour and the Rise of Senegalese mbalax

Tang (2005).

Tang. (December 2005): 275-300.

5 Music and Protest: Fela Anikulapo-Kuti’s Afro-beat; Mbira and Chimurenga Music of Zimbabwe

Stewart. pp. 114-123.

Collins. pp. 69-84.

Turino. (Excerpts)

6 Music as a Tool for Humanitarian Aid in Africa  
7 The Politics of Globalization: Paul Simon’s Graceland

Meintjes.

Feld. Chapter 8.

Global Rap and Hip-hop Culture
8 Rap and Hip-hop in Africa

Mitchell. (Excerpts)

Herson. pp. 18-43.

9 Hip-hop in Korea Morelli.
10 First Exam  
11 Guest Lecture by Benjamin Herson (Nomadic Wax)  
12 Rap and Hip-hop in Japan: Guest Lecture by Ian Condry

Condry. Global Noise.

Condry. Urban Life.

13 Catch-up Session  
  Suggested Local Event: Performance by Orchestra Baobab  
Dance, Film, and The Impact of Recording Technologies
14

Creating Anglo-Asian Identity: Bhangra and Bhangramuffin

20-minute Guest Lecture/Demonstration by MIT Bhangra Team

Taylor. pp. 155-172.

Wong.

15 The Voice of Egypt: Umm Kulthum Danielson. (Excerpts)
  Suggested Local Event: Intercollegiate Festival of African Music and Arts @ Tufts University  
16 Techno, Rave, and Youth Culture

Huq.

Sylvan.

17 Beloved Crooners of Canto-pop; Karaoke in East Asia  
  Karaoke Outing  
Music, Culture and Religion: The Case of Reggae
18 Ska, Reggae, and Dancehall: A Historical Overview

Chang. (Excerpts)

Potash. (Excerpts)

19 The Bob Marley Legacy  
20 The Globalization of Reggae  
21 Second Exam  
  Suggested Local Event: Performance by Lamine Touré and Group Saloum  
22-25 Final Presentations  
26 Conclusions  

Course Info

Instructor
As Taught In
Spring 2005
Learning Resource Types
Written Assignments with Examples