This course will explore the intersection of music and social justice. Drawing on historical and contemporary examples of performers engaged in struggles for social change, we will examine how and why creative actors participate in political life. In addition to surveying the role of the performing arts in social movements, including women’s rights, LGBTQ+ equality, civil rights, national liberation, labor reform, environmental activism, and Indigenous self-determination, we will discuss music-centered case studies, each one foregrounding specific aesthetic practices, repertories, and media, as well as artistic alliances and frictions. The course will also give participants an opportunity to do ethnographic research on soundscapes of past and/or contemporary social movements in Portland, as well as gain practical musical training in workshops on songwriting and Ghanaian drumming.
- Teacher: Erica Jensen
- Teacher: Kaley Mason
- Teacher: Rebecca Smith