CHLS3213

This course explores Chicana/o/x and Latina/o/x music and offers a comprehensive overview of various genres, artists, and traditions. Music, as a mode that both creates and reflects culture, provides key insight into political and social systems. Whether we are studying early border ballads by Chelo Silva who challenged gender norms or learning about Bad Bunny’s commitment to revitalizing Puerto Rico’s electrical grid after Hurricane Maria, we will focus on how the musical production impacts broader society. Readings from scholars in Chicana/o/x and Latina/o/x Studies will ground our analysis of music through an intersectional lens. We will unpack the race, class, and gender dynamics that are evident in a particular musical production. Moreover, we will analyze the artist’s positionality (identities in a particular context) to discuss issues of power and resistance.

The course units are organized in a flexible chronology and by genre. The material ranges from traditional musical styles such as the corrido and bolero to contemporary genres like punk and hip hop. To fully immerse ourselves in Chicana/o/x and Latina/o/x music there are both reading assignments and listening assignments for each class session. When possible, there are also visuals (music videos) that will provide an additional layer for us to analyze. Throughout the semester, you will write about individual songs, albums, music videos, and artists by applying course concepts and theories to the work. The final project will culminate in a podcast where you record alone or in a group an episode on a particular musician, album, genre, or musical moment.

03321

Arts/Humanities, Race, Power, and Justice in the United States

Every Fall & Spring