Ethnographic Focus
Music 17/ 114 Paper: Fall 2023 : Ethnographic Focus
MUS 17/ 114 is a part of the Ethnomusicology program at UCSB. Ethnomusicologists are anthropologists of music. We study how meaning and purpose emerge from people’s experiences with music and sound. This paper assignment asks you to use one of the research methods in Ethnomusicology called “ethnography” to discuss the meanings that a certain kind of popular music has for someone that you know. “Ethnography” is just a clever word that talks about learning from people’s experiences and ideas directly from them and not from a book.
For this paper, we ask that you interview someone (one person is fine) about their favorite popular music. We encourage you to consider someone who enjoys a genre of music you do not like or are unfamiliar with. Conducting interviews in person or virtually (on Zoom) is appropriate.
Some useful interview questions might include: When did you first hear this music? How and why do you find this music appealing? When, and in what contexts do you listen to this music? How do you take part in this music-culture (a music-culture is an integrated soundscape with accompanying human behaviors and values)? While these questions are good places to start, you are expected to come up with your own questions as well. Potential points of discussion include friendship, family, love, ethnicity, school, work, authority, religion, growing up, etc. Try to avoid being judgmental about your interviewee’s music. Even if it is not a style that you like, try to hear it from their perspective. Above all, get your interviewee to tell you stories about their experiences within their world of music. Oftentimes, these stories are insightful in telling us about the connections between people and music.
Ideally, you should record this interview so you can go back over the recording later and quote your interviewee directly. Make sure to ask their approval before recording! If you don’t have an audio recorder, take careful notes so that you can accurately paraphrase what was said during the interview.
Next, formulate a statement that emphasizes the perspectives of your interviewee in relation to the significance of that music for them. For example, your interviewee will enjoy a kind of music because of certain ideas, experiences, or opinions related to it. Sometimes, it is helpful to capture these ideas and experiences under one conceptual word, like “nostalgia” or “youthfulness” or “nationality.” Ultimately, this main statement is the statement that you will unpack in your paper. Your paper should conceptualize the interviewee’s comments by relating them to social and cultural issues. If you are confused about what concept the interviewee is relating to, feel free to use concepts that we have already discussed in class lectures, such as defining the popular, sound technology, race and class, cultural production, etc. Also, our class readings are full of critical concepts that emerge from popular music.
After you have completed your interview(s) and have formulated a central statement, supplement your statement with secondary/library sources. Use these sources to broaden the conversation about your topic. You are required to reference at least one academic source ( peer-reviewed book or journal) and at least two non-academic or journalistic sources (such as newspapers, Rolling Stone or Billboard magazines). None of these three sources should be from the classroom readings. Include in-text citations for quotes or ideas that are not your own; and list these references within a “References Cited/Bibliography” section at the end of the paper.
Make sure to give your paper a sensible title, keep your writing focused, support yourself with examples, and communicate your ideas clearly and effectively. Writing essentials such as spelling, grammar, organization and style are of utmost importance.
Formatting: Music 17: 800-1000 words; Music 114: 1200-1400 words (not including block quotes or “References Cited/Bibliography”), double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman, 1-inch margins on all sides, Word document (.doc or .docx)
In my paper, I plan to explore the profound influence of Bob Dylan’s music on individual identity and cultural expression, particularly within the context of country music enthusiasts. My focus will be on understanding how Dylan’s storytelling and musical innovation resonate with fans and have shaped their perceptions of self and society. I aim to argue that Dylan’s work transcends mere entertainment, serving as a critical lens through which listeners interpret their experiences and beliefs. The person I have chosen to interview is my grandfather, a long-time admirer of Bob Dylan and an avid follower of country music. Growing up in the 1960s and 1970s, he witnessed firsthand the evolution of Dylan’s career and the ways in which his music mirrored and influenced the socio-political landscape of the time. My grandfather’s deep appreciation for Dylan’s artistry and his personal experiences living through the era that Dylan’s music often reflects make him an invaluable source for understanding the cultural significance of this music. I will incorporate insights from the scholarly source “Bob Dylan in America” by Sean Wilentz, which provides a comprehensive analysis of Dylan’s impact on American culture and music. This book will offer a historical and academic framework to support my discussion of Dylan’s influence on country music and personal identity. My choice of interviewee and academic source will enable me to create a nuanced paper that examines the intersection of music, culture, and identity through the lens of Bob Dylan’s enduring legacy.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VyrwxrhUX8BZ0kH5n3tKVkO3-Z2IWiq2/view
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