01 MW4 CAC 12194 MATHES SC-215
How have our encounters with and perceptions of sound changed throughout history and (particularly) in our rapidly evolving present--as we have moved, for instance, from the drum to electronic music, and from the phonograph to the mp3 (and back)? How have ecological, political, commercial, and cultural forces shaped what we (choose to) listen to, how we listen, and how we imagine and write about the sounds around us? Engaging with these questions and more, this course examines central themes in the emerging multidisciplinary field of Sound Studies as they intersect with topics in literary studies as well as media studies and musicology. We will be especially concerned with how writers, artists (visual and sonic), musicians, and performers have shaped their work in relationship to the changing soundscapes of urban and rural life, the ecosystems of our natural worlds, and contexts of political activism and struggle.
Our seminar work will include regular attendance and active verbal participation, field recordings, short written in-class responses to selected readings, a midterm essay, and a final project (with creative options/components).