MUS-30057 - Module Specification
School of Humanities
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

Programme/Approved Electives for 2024/25

Available as a Free Standing Elective

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2024/25

Where words fail music can be harnessed to acknowledge trauma, understand the roots of conflict, negotiate social guilt, facilitate public debate and preserve social memory. Music and sound technology can help communities to confront, challenge and subvert the status quo. However, music productions can also be employed to acquire political power, manipulate populations, torture individuals and maintain hegemonic systems. How, when, and why do these roles develop? What is the role of music, sound and technology in all this? How were and are music and sound used to fuel, defuse and understand social conflict? How do people use music in their lives to affect their emotions and identity?
This module introduces students to theoretical approaches to music, sound, technology, conflict, protest and social change. It will examine the use of music as a tool for conflict transformation, but it also will explore `the dark side¿ of music by discussing the ways in which music and sound technology have been associated with manipulation, power, and violence (e.g. sonic torture). It will also consider how music technology and the music industry have impacted on the potential of music to generate resistance or submission.
Lectures will introduce students to case studies from various regions of the world, music genres, and socio-political contexts. Tutorials will provide a forum for students to reflect on lectures, contrast theory with their own music experiences, prepare a unique case study e-poster (in pairs), and attempt to answer an essay question.
The role of music in conflict is only beginning to receive scholarly attention, and this module is a great opportunity to explore new areas of music and sound research.

¿ To further explore themes and issues, methods and approaches, perspectives and debates concerning music, sound, conflict, protest and social change.
¿ To develop students¿ critical understanding of the relationship between music, sound, technology and conflict.
¿ To expose students to the broad array of functions musics of different genres can have in different conflict contexts, geographical settings and
periods.
¿ To introduce students to the ways in which music and sound developments and research intersect with politics and culture.
¿ To enable students to respond critically, analytically and actively to current developments in the political and cultural scene from their music and sound expertise.
¿ To examine more closely how music, sound and technology channels and enhances emotion, sentimentality and identity in relation to the roots of social conflict.

Intended Learning Outcomes

critically assess issues, methods, approaches, perspectives and debates concerning music, sound, technology, conflict, protest and social change;: 1,2
describe and make critical judgments about the various functions of music, sound and technology in conflict situations;: 1,2
engage with and evaluate pertinent issues and case studies in music, sound and conflict, protest and social change using cultural, political and ethnomusicological theories;: 1,2
apply and discuss appropriate theories, contents and arguments of selected readings, case studies and ethnographic examples to selected case studies: 1,2
contrast and critically compare music examples from class with own music experience and context.: 1,2
plan, prepare, conduct and present an original poster with a unique case study: 1
plan, prepare, conduct and write up an essay critically examining the use of music, sound and technology in conflict situations.: 2

Study hours

24 hours of contact time, to include:
12 hours lectures
12 hours of tutorials (group and one-to-one)

Individual study:
60 hours of lecture and tutorial preparation
66 hours preparation for summative assessments

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment