Honors Seminars Fall 2011

Music and Culture of South Asia is the study of music traditions within cultural and social contexts in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh; and in the world-wide South Asian diasporic communities. Through weekly readings and guided listening assignments, students will develop an understanding of the components of these music-cultures and the ways in which tradition and change, identity and hegemony, belief systems and patterns of social interaction are encoded and made manifest in musical practices. Of particular interest will be the manner in which Music in South Asia serves as a vehicle for social and religious expression and experience, and the unique role music plays in shaping and informing social life in this region. Topics for reading, listening and discussion will include root theoretical concepts like Raga, Tala, Nada, Sruti, Swara; and genres like Dhrupad, Khyal, Thumri, Ghazal, Bhajan and kirtan, Bollywood filmi, Bhangra, and Chutney.