Deadline 2019 Before 11 Pm: Course Name Music Africa Diaspor
Deadline562019 Before 11pmuscourse Name Music Africa Diasp Us
Students will compose an analytical essay placing a significant artist and a particular work (i.e., a recording or performance) into historical context, including a discussion of the aesthetic, social, cultural, economic, and political dimensions that informed its production and its resonance. The paper should consider both synchronic and diachronic historical perspectives, situating the work in its particular historical moment as well as showing how it speaks to broader trends of tradition, innovation, and influence.
Connecting specific musical features to historical forces, your essay will examine the ways that artists' aesthetic choices can be understood historically. Your paper should also aim to contribute to our ongoing discussion of the course's core concerns and themes, including but not limited to: the maintenance and transformation of African core conceptual / aesthetic priorities and values, the impact of the “color line” on American music (and vice versa), the strategic embrace or militant refusal of the “mask” of minstrelsy, the jook continuum, sacred and secular interplay, migration and regionalism, Afro-modernism and Black Arts movements, “racial uplift” and assimilationist efforts, interracial exchanges and coalitions, appropriation and exploitation, integrationist and anti-racist movements, black nationalism and self-determination, the long struggle for Civil Rights and economic justice. The attachment is some assignments about the final paper.
Paper For Above instruction
The assignment requires crafting a 1500-word analytical essay that situates a particular influential artist and their work within a comprehensive historical framework. The goal is to explore how that artist’s aesthetic choices are intertwined with the sociopolitical, cultural, and economic contexts of their time, demonstrating both immediate and long-term impacts on the broader African and African diaspora musical landscapes.
The foundation of this paper lies in selecting a significant artist whose work exemplifies key themes covered in the course, such as the maintenance and transformation of African aesthetic values, the influence of racial discrimination, and movements for racial uplift and social justice. For instance, an artist like Fela Kuti or Miriam Makeba might serve as compelling case studies due to their roles in shaping musical tradition amid political activism. Alternatively, an iconic figure like Duke Ellington could illuminate how jazz responded to racial segregation and became a vehicle for social commentary.
To thoroughly analyze the work, the paper should examine specific musical features—such as rhythm, melody, harmony, lyrical content, recording techniques, or performance style—and connect them to larger historical forces. This involves detailed musical analysis combined with contextual discussion, demonstrating how aesthetic decisions reflect or contest prevailing social and political realities. For example, the use of particular rhythmic complexities might relate to cultural identity and resistance, while lyrical themes may address issues of liberation, inequality, or spiritual heritage.
Another key element is providing both synchronic and diachronic perspectives. Synchronic analysis considers the work in its immediate historical context—what was happening politically, socially, and culturally at the time—and how it resonated with contemporary audiences. Diachronic analysis examines the artist’s influence across time, how their work contributed to evolving musical genres, movements, or ideals related to African identity, diaspora connections, or anti-racism efforts.
The essay should demonstrate how the chosen artist’s aesthetic and musical innovations relate to broader themes: migration, regionalism, Afro-modernism, black arts movements, or intercultural exchanges. For instance, how did the artist’s work perpetuate or challenge stereotypes, or serve as a form of racial or cultural self-determination? Such considerations deepen the understanding of music as a form of socio-political expression and resistance.
Overall, this paper aims to integrate detailed musical analysis with historical inquiry to illuminate the enduring significance of the artist’s work within African and African diaspora histories. It should contribute meaningful insights into ongoing debates about cultural identity, resistance, and transformation in black musical traditions, supporting the course’s core themes with scholarly rigor and critical engagement.
References
- Baraka, A. (1963). Blues People: Negro Music in White America. W.W. Norton & Company.
- Chambers, E. K. (1985). Jazz: The American Theme Song. Oxford University Press.
- Fanon, F. (1967). Black Skin, White Masks. Grove Press.
- Gilroy, P. (1993). The Black Atlantic: Modernity and Double Consciousness. Harvard University Press.
- Moore, R. (2006). Lifting the Veil: The Black Arts Movement and African American Cultural Renaissance. University of Illinois Press.
- Pease, D. (2012). The African Diaspora and the Politics of Culture. University of Illinois Press.
- Reagon, B. (1983). Black Nationalist Feminism and Cultural Nationalism. In D. M. L. Marable & H. K. Harris (Eds.), Racially Ordered Modernity (pp. 98-113). Cambridge University Press.
- Thompson, R. (1991). Jazz Anthropology. University of California Press.
- Walker, A. (1982). In Search of Our Mothers' Gardens. Mariner Books.
- Wolfe, C. (1999). Music and Cultural Resistance in African Diaspora Contexts. Journal of Intercultural Studies, 20(2), 105-119.