Racial Justice Race and Systemic Oppression Influence in Music Discussion
Readings:
- John C. Finn, Soundtrack of a Nation – Race and Music in Brazil.pdf
- Bruno Cornellier & Michael R. Griffiths, Globalizing unsettlement – an introduction.pdf
Purpose: To evaluate and examine global culture and society through a varied exploration of research topics
Skills/knowledge practiced: Textual analysis; close reading; writing with citations; use of textual evidence; developing argument; following proper MLA formatting guidelines; paraphrasing quotes; analysis of global culture and politics; historical critique
Submission instructions: Please submit your 250-350 word response as a Word doc on Blackboard (no paper copies will be accepted). Every submission should include at least one quote from the text.
Grades will be based on the completeness of your submission (including textual quotes + sufficient word count length) as well as proper grammar/spelling and the depth of your critical analysis. Four points total:
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- 1 pt. for proper citation use;
- 1 pt. for sufficient length;
- 1 pt. for sufficient depth of content/engagement;
- 1 pt. for proper assignment formatting.
Assignments should be formatted as follows: 12 pt. font, 1-inch margins, double-spaced with header, page numbers, Times New Roman font, Word Count listed, Works Cited page on separate page, submitted as Microsoft Word or PDF. This may seem like a lot but it is the golden standard for document preparation, and if properly followed will make your writing immediately more consistent and easier to read. See the following for an example: MLA Citation Template and Example
Prompts (choose one):
Option 1: You have read the assigned article “Soundtrack of a Nation: Race, Place, and Music in Modern Brazil.” As you read the article, you have read the historical post-colonial racist practices that shaped Modern-day Brazil and how music was deemed a form of expression and experience for its black population. From a global perspective, specifically in the United States, does race and systemic oppression influence music? If so, how? Do you think minorities in Brazil and the United States would agree to have shared experiences?
Option 2: [Respond to this statement]: “Settler Colonialism was a continuous power structure that bolstered the repression of indigenous people and communities. Characterized by dominance, this power structure normalized land and resource exploitation in areas where indigenous people had genealogical relationships. It included oppression forms such as racism, capitalism, and supremacy. Superiority was natural and inevitable since the settler colonizers assumed European values in high regard. This power system impacted the communities to a greater extent, as seen in the United States’ settler colonialism history.”
