CLTR3507/AR35G: Culture, Gender & Sexuality in Jamaican Popular Music

Lecturer: Dr. Donna Hope Marquis
Pre-Requisite: CLTR 1001
Semester: 2
Credits: 3
Level: 3

This course draws on theories at the juncture of gender and cultural studies, to question the production and consumption of Jamaican popular music culture and critically examine the intersections of gender and sexuality therein. It explores the ways in which Jamaican popular music has been instrumental in mediating constructions, both national and personal, and how the creation, consumption, and understanding of culture are dependent on our often-unconscious assumptions regarding gender and sexuality. Thus, the course also signals how unequal power structures and stereotypical and oppressive role models can be revealed and challenged. In this regard, it will be seen how culture shapes our perception of who we are (or who we are supposed to be) and how we behave (or how we are expected to behave). The course will focus on dancehall music as contemporary popular Jamaican music, but will also draw from other genres, including reggae and mento.

Evaluation

Coursework: 40% (Written Tutorial Presentation – 10% and Research Paper – 30%)
Exam: 60%