A survey of Rock music, from its roots in country and blues to the post-modern eclecticism of Lady Gaga. Rock music will be considered in relation to race, sex, gender, drugs, technology, marketing, and politics to better understand its powerful position in constructing, challenging, and reinforcing various positions of identity. By the end of the course, students will be able to discuss the musical characteristics of a work, identify its genre and era of composition, and contextualize it within a broader framework of American culture and politics.

 

Listen to Professor Zelensky’s description of the class: