The Culture of Electronic Dance Music
Undergraduate Writing Seminar 38A - Section 1
Fall 2015
Instructor: Charles Stratford Classroom: Shiffman Humanities Center Room 202
Office: TBA Meeting Time: 1:00-1:50pm (M, W)
Phone: TBA Office Hours: Mon 12:00-12:50pm; Wed 2-3pm
Email:
Mailbox: Slosberg Music Center
The Culture of Electronic Dance Music is a writing course that explores how music is a reflection of culture. To speak of music as a "universal language" can be misleading. In spite of its universal appeal, music is a specific expression of its cultural referents–it is bound to the cultures of those that conceptualize it, perform it, receive it, and, particularly in this day in age, market it. The advent of electronic dance music (or "techno") involves interesting dynamics: its strongly non-lyrical element engages listeners from many different languages, but essential cultural elements like race, class, and socioeconomics define its practice. In its many incarnations, techno is an expression of culture.
In an effort to assess the cultural and historical significance of electronic dance music, this writing course addresses the currents that shaped this music in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s through the present. In our first assignment, we will address how middle-class black youths from Detroit celebrated a new musical aesthetic in the 1980s–one that drew upon the everyday fascinations with technology tied to the American automotive industry. In our second assignment, we will explore how the global phenomenon of massive dance parties (called "raves") promoted a youthful subculture defined by its own social codes. In our last assignment, we shall examine how outsider opportunists exploited the allure of this music for commercial gain, as techno proliferated the mainstream through TV advertisements, features films, video games, and retail stores. Thus, in three writing assignments, we will trace how techno went from an underground movement celebrated by key figures in certain cities, to a global subculture centered on utopian visions of a better life through art, to a commercial tool aimed at today's youth.
As a University Writing Seminar, this course aims to prepare students for college-level academic writing. Students will learn the standards of academic writing, practice those standards, cultivate vital skills for performing academic research, and develop a critical vocabulary for thinking about the process of composition and revision. At the same time, we will habitually reflect on the ways that academic standards for argumentative writing overlap with those found in other writing contexts.
REQUIRED TEXTS
A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, Eighth Edition: Chicago Style for Students and Researchers, Kate Turabian. [Available online at Amazon.com for $11.35. This will be our style manual for all citation and formatting.]
Write Now!, collection of Brandeis student essays [Available at the bookstore. This volume also includes excerpts from Writing Analytically. If you see an assigned reading with “WN” next to it, check Write Now]
Writing in Response, Matthew Parfitt [Available at the bookstore. A new copy comes with access to Writer’s Help (a robust online resource that can help you with everything from citation formatting to understanding the rhetoric of evidence) so please grab a new copy.]
TEXTS AND AUDIO AVAILABLE ON LATTE
Some of our readings will be available solely on LATTE. You will find them on the course homepage and linked in our online course schedule. On occasion, I will print off copies to pass out to students, but generally, I will leave it up to you whether or not you want to print out your own copy of these readings. Remember that reading is not a passive activity. You should be making notes and marking up your copy whether you read digitally or on paper.
You will find a list of audio files linked to youtube.com on LATTE for each week. You are asked to listen to the examples in their entirety–unless specified otherwise–at least one time. I ask that you do not listen to the music while doing some other activity, except taking notes on the listening. After listening, post a brief reflection (5-8 sentences) on the LATTE forum describing your experience and then respond to one other person’s reflection. This will help stimulate conversation of the audio examples in class (I might call on you to discuss your thoughts). You must post your reflection and reply to someone else’s forum post before the class meeting that day; failure to do so will affect your participation grade.
UWS Outcomes
Critical Thinking, Reading, and Writing
Use writing and discussion to work through and interpret complex ideas from readings and other texts (e.g., visual, musical, verbal)
Critically analyze your own and others' choices regarding language and form (e.g., in student texts or formally published texts)
Engage in multiple modes of inquiry using texts (e.g., field research, library-based inquiry, web searching)
Incorporate significant research (as above) into writing that engages a question and/or topic and uses it as a central theme for a substantive, research-based essay
Use writing to support interpretations of text, and understand that there are multiple interpretations of text
Processes
- Understand that writing takes place through recurring processes of invention, revision, and editing
- Develop successful, flexible strategies for your own writing through the processes of invention, revision, and editing
- Experience and understand the collaborative and social aspects of writing processes
- Learn to critique your own and others' work
- Be reflective about your writing processes
Knowledge of Conventions
Understand the conventions of particular genres of writing
Use conventions associated with a range of dialects, particularly standardized written English (but not necessarily limited to it)
Recognize and address patterns in your writing that unintentionally diverge from patterns expected by their audience/s
Practice using Chicago Style Turabian Format for documenting work.
OVERVIEW OF ESSAY ASSIGNMENTS, PORTFOLIO, and CONFERENCES
Close Reading Essay(5-6 pages)
The Origins of Techno
Through the close reading essay you will learn how to analyze a text to find deeper meaning. It is here that you will learn the difference between summary and analysis. In this and all other essays you must formulate a thesis and construct a strong argument in defense of your thesis. This first unit examines two related documentaries: High Tech Soul (2006) and Universal Techno (1996). Both videos present narrative accounts addressing the origins of this new type of dance music. We will close read these two documentaries to gain a better understanding about why there is some disagreement about what factors shaped the inception of this music, who the most instrumental figures were (and why), and how this genre of music affected the broader sphere of popular music leading into the 21st century
Lens Essay(6-7 pages)
Utopia in Rave
Our second unit uses John Reiss' 1999 video documentary Better Living Through Circuitry as our primary text. As its title might suggest, this documentary portrays the rave phenomenon as a "better way of living" through the creative movement of electronic dance music. We will examine this documentary through the lens of an interview between two eminent philosophers from the "Frankfurt School," entitled: "Something's Missing: A Discussion between Ernst Bloch and Theodor W. Adorno on the Contradictions of Utopian Longing." This interview problematizes differing notions of utopia in the technological age. Building on the close readings skills developed in our first assignment, you are asked to apply the concepts found in this interview to a close examination of the video documentary.
Research Paper(9-10 pages)
The Commercialization of Electronic Dance Music
The research essay will be written on a media example of your choice concerning the commercialization of techno. As raves began to attract outsider opportunists concerned with making a profit, techno was used to draw the attention (and money) of young people. This was achieved by placing techno in television advertisements, feature films, video games, and background music in retail stores. You are asked to choose one of these sources as the focus of a research paper that uses four secondary sources (scholarly articles, books, etc.). The goals of this essay will be to continue strengthening your close reading and lens techniques, but also to teach you how to do scholarly research and incorporate many sources into one paper. This assignment will also give you experience working with multiple texts and writing an annotated bibliography. As always, you must construct and develop a thesis.
Portfolio
You must turn in a writing portfolio at the end of the semester. The portfolio will include all writings submitted during the semester including essays, pre-draft assignments, drafts with cover letters, and peer reviews. The portfolio will also include a cover letter regarding your work and development over the course of the semester. It should be well organized and preferably in a three-ring binder, however do not spend a lot of money on this – sheet protectors, leather bindings, etc. are not needed. Be sure to keep all of your assignments organized as you get them back during the semester to allow for easy assemblage of your portfolio. More detailed information on this project will be given to you later in the semester.
Conferences
You each must attend three twenty minute conferences over the course of the semester. These will be scheduled outside of class one-on-one and will be used to discuss your writing thus far and to answer any questions you may have about the class or your progress in the class. I will coordinate these meeting times on LATTE. Also, you are more than welcome to meet with me during my office hours or to talk to me before or after class (depending on the day). If you have questions and cannot attend my office hours you may schedule an additional meeting with me to discuss your concerns.
GRADING
Close Reading Essay20%
Lens Essay25%
Research Essay30%
Portfolio 5%
Pre-draft assignments15%
Class participation 5%
(group work, discussions, etc)
Pre-Drafts and Drafts: Graded via a credit, no credit system (unless submitted late, see below)
√ = five points credit
no √ = no credit
If you do not turn in a draft, I will not grade your final paper
Final Drafts and Final Grades for the class are on a letter basis
A += 98 - 100C+= 78 - 79F = 59 and Below
A= 94 - 97C= 74 - 77
A-= 90 - 93C-= 70 - 73
B+= 88 - 89D+= 68 - 69
B= 84 - 88D= 64 - 67
B-= 80 - 83D-= 60 - 63
OTHER POLICIES
Attendance: You will be allowed three absences for the course. After three absences (for any reason) your dean will be notified, and your course grade will be lowered by one-third apiece (so, with 4 absences an A becomes an A-, etc.) It is in your best interest to attend every class as material will not be revisited and we are on a rigid schedule. Missing even one class may put you far behind. If you willmiss a class please notify me by e-mail or telephone. More than six absences (for any reason) will result in a failing grade for the class.
Cellphone/Laptop Usage: Cellphone usage is prohibited during class time. Also, I have a strict no laptop/tablet policy in my course. Laptop/tablet/phone use during class is not allowed in class unless you have a special dispensation from the university, or unless I ask you to bring one of these devices for in-class work.
Participation: You are expected to prepare for and participate fully in all classroom activities, including discussions, workshops, etc. You are expected to have listened to the musical example for that day, and done any other preparation that I indicate in the prior class meeting. Always remember to bring your books and materials to class.
Tardiness: Class begins promptly at 1:00. I will mark you late so it is important that you get here on time. Three late arrivals to class will equal one absence. Also, arriving after 10 minutes is considered excessive and you will thus be marked absent for the day. Please note that tardiness is not only detrimental to your learning but also disruptive to everyone else in the class.
Late Papers/Extensions: Rough and pre-drafts submitted late will be marked down one point for each day that they are late, and will not receive written feedback. If you attend the writing center when finishing a final draft of a paper you may use a Writing Center Reward Form for a one day extension. Late essays will be penalizes a third of a grade each 24 hours. If a paper is due at 9:00pm, it is late if it is submitted at 9:01. If you have an emergency or extenuating circumstance, please contact me regarding the timely submission of your paper.
Submission of Essays: All assignments will be turned in to me via LATTE. If you are absent from class, please submit your materials to me before class begins.
Page Requirements: All final essays must meet the minimum page requirement. NO EXCEPTIONS. Regardless of the quality of the essay if you do not meet the minimum page requirement your grade will be lowered by 1/3 of a letter grade. If you are having difficulties getting to the page requirement then you are not analyzing your source(s) in enough detail, or you are ignoring important points of discussion. Look at every angle and study the source(s) in depth. Dig deeper and complicate your argument or look at it from an additional point of view.
Formatting: I am a stickler for formatting. Essays turned in with incorrect margins, spacing, incorrect Chicago-Turabian formatting, no page numbers, no headers, etc… will be marked down 1/3 of a letter grade. Each assignment sequence will clearly lay out the guidelines for formatting. Learn them quickly and implement them in your writing.
Success in this 4 credit hour course is based on the expectation that students will spend a minimum of 9 hours of study time per week in preparation for class (readings, papers, discussion sections, preparation for exams, etc.).
THE WRITING CENTER
The writing center here at Brandeis (located on the first floor of the library near the CD collection) offers free one-on-one writing tutorials with experienced consultants, many of whom are teaching a UWS themselves. Visit to learn more and set up an appointment. When you visit the Writing Center, have your consultant fill out a Writing Center Reward Form (available there). A completed form entitles you to a one-day extension on the final draft of any paper (only one Writing Center Extension per paper and it must be during the week leading up to the final draft).
DISABILITIES
If you are a student with a documented disability on record at Brandeis University and wish to have a reasonable accommodation made for you in this class please see me immediately after class.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
You are expected to be familiar with and to follow the University's policies on academic integrity (see ). Faculty will refer any suspected instances of alleged dishonesty to the Office of Student Development and Conduct. Instances of academic dishonesty may result in sanctions including but not limited to failure in the course, failure on the assignment in question, or suspension from the University. The final drafts of your three papers must be submitted electronically using LATTE’s Turn It In, which will verify the amount of content from your paper that shows evidence for potential plagiarism. So, beware!
LATTE: Learning And Teaching Technology Environment
LATTE is Brandeis University's online learning environment. LATTE will be used as a means of communication between the instructor and the class and vice versa. The syllabus, class assignments, some readings/recordings and other materials will be available to you through LATTE. It may also be used to facilitate discussion forums outside of class which you may feel free to generate yourself! It is a great place to ask questions to your instructor and your classmates when there may not be time in class to do so. Login to LATTE at .
UWS 38A Section 1: The Culture of Electronic Dance Music
Charles Stratford
Fall 2015 Class Schedule
This schedule is a general guideline for the semester and is subject to change; however, due dates for Pre-Drafts and Papers will not be moved. Most classes will consist of discussions and workshops.
NB: I RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE SYLLABUS AS THE SEMESTER PROGRESSES.
Unit 1: What is Close Reading?
Week 1
Aug 27 (Th)• In Class: Diagnostic writing; Syllabus overview; some important questions;
• Writing Assignment: Introduction on LATTE (due Friday, 28th @ 4pm)
• Listening–Origins - Experimental Electronic Music, Disco, Funk: Tangerine Dream "Zeit"; Kraftwerk "The Robots”;Donna Summer "I Feel Love"; Parliament "Flashlight"
Week 2
Aug 31 (M)• Reading Assignment: Film: Universal Techno (Parts 1&2);Essay: Reynolds, "A Tale of Three Cities" pp. 13-27.