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HU204 Hip-Hop Culture Course SyllabusMission Statement: “Daniel Webster College educates purposeful men and women for entry, advancement and advanced studies in professional fields through programs which emphasize the integration of theory and practice through interactive teaching and learning in professional and liberal studies.”Course Number/Section: HU204-ACourse Title: Hip-Hop Culture Semester/Term Dates:Fall 09/02/2104 – 12/17/2014Class Meeting Time: M, W, F 09:00A-09:50A Class Location:DW 226Instructor Contact InformationInstructor: Erica Jablonski Office Location: Daniel Webster Hall Room 209Office Hours: Fridays from 10am – 11:30am Email: EJablonski@dwc.edu Course Description3 creditsHip-hop culture is a wide-ranging phenomenon, with influences in music, dance, art, politics, entertainment, fashion, and business. This course examines the history of hip-hop as a social movement and its current contributions to culture, both nationally and globally. The social, economic, political, aesthetic, and race- and gender-related elements of hip-hop will be discussed. Course Textbook Information Chang, Jeff. Can't Stop Won't Stop: A History of the Hip Hop Generation (New York: Picador, 2005) ?Rose, Tricia.?The Hip Hop Wars: What We Talk About When We talk About Hip Hop and Why it Matters (New York: Basic Books, 2008) Documentaries and Films (Viewed as homework)Tony Silver, Style Wars (1983)Charlie Ahearn, Wild Style (1982)Benson Lee, Planet B-Boy (2007)R.R. Blythewood, One Night in Vegas (2010)Doug Pray, Scratch (2007)Bryon Hurt, Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes (2006)Henry Chalfant and Rita Fecher, Flying Cut Sleeves (1993)Gary Weis, 80 Blocks from Tiffany’s (1979)Course ObjectivesCourse Objective 1 – Investigate the roots of hip-hop culture and the socio-political conditions that spawned its development.Student Learning Outcomes:Make connections between the larger cultural/political/social framework of the 1970’s and the birth of hip-hop as a cultural/creative expression.Recognize how marginalized groups (African Americans, Latinos) contributed to the creation of hip-hop as a platform for challenging barriers such as racism, discrimination and silencing.Course Objective 2 – Examine hip-hop’s influences in music, dance, art, politics, entertainment, fashion and business and explore its current contributions, both nationally and globally.Student Learning Outcomes:Define hip-hop, recognize key figures and movements and describe connections between its four main elements Analyze how hip–hop artists and stylists create meaning and identity in their musical/dance/artistic works.Critically analyze the diversity within hip-hop and the differences between mainstream popular rap and hip-hop as a culture. Course Objective 3 – Consider how race, class, gender, sexual orientation and religion have been represented in hip-hop culture.Student Learning Outcomes:Make connections between the lyrical content of rap music and its relationship to African American identity, political thought and activism.Critique hip-hop cultural norms, especially those that reproduce systemic inequalities like sexism and consumerism.Analyze divergent views of feminist thought within hip-hop and recognize the role gender, sexualities, power and oppression play within a hip-hop discourse.General Education Course Outcomes1. Understand figurative and symbolic expressions.2. Evaluate the impact of culture on expression.Students with Disabilities? Daniel Webster College is committed to compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and its regulations. The school does not discriminate on the basis of disability in admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its programs and activities. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, any student who has a documented physical, learning, or emotional?disability* will be provided with reasonable accommodations designed to meet his or her needs. Before any such assistance can occur, it is the responsibility of the student to see that documentation is on file with the ADA Coordinator and that a Reasonable Accommodation Plan has been developed. Once this is in place the student may request a copy of the plan go to all or some of his/her instructors so that they may provide the agreed upon accommodations. Students with a disability may request an accommodation by contacting ADA Coordinator Dr. Kathy Hipp, Associate Dean of Arts and Sciences, at 603-577-6659 or hipp@dwc.edu.?*Documentation cannot be more than three years old.Academic Honesty Intellectual curiosity is at the heart of the academic enterprise. Students, faculty and administration at Daniel Webster College consider such violations as cheating and plagiarism to be so unethical as to call into question whether the violator should continue as a member of the College community.Transcripts that misrepresent academic performance not only endanger students’ chances for success in their careers but also damage the integrity and reputation of the institution.Student Honor PledgeDaniel Webster College believes that all students have the right to learn in an academic community that insures fair competition, and respects truth and honesty. Academic dishonesty is not tolerated at Daniel Webster College. The Student Honor Pledge is intended to create a community of fairness, respect and responsibility in the pursuit of academic enterprise. All students are expected to abide by the Student Honor Pledge.I pledge on my honor, as a student at Daniel Webster College, that I have neither given nor received any unauthorized aid on this assignment/examination.For more information regarding Daniel Webster College’s ethical standards, please refer to the current college catalog.Instructor Expectations Attendance PolicyThe course meets three times a week and carries an expectation of discussion/participation. Excessive absences (defined as more than three) will negatively impact your performance and can result in course failure. Excessive tardiness will also impact performance and final grade.Participation PolicyThis course is structured in a format that blends lecture, discussion, and student presentations. It is crucial that students come to class on time, with required texts, well prepared to offer thoughtful responses to the assigned material. A vital, ongoing intellectual conversation —which actively questions the meaning of Hip-Hop and its relevance as a cultural expression—is at the heart of this course. Many of the issues and ideas that we address in this course can be controversial and students may have very different viewpoints and perspectives. It is critical that we respect one another’s experiences and perspectives and converse productively across our differences. Good participation is about risk-taking, and pushing yourself through productive discomfort. To keep us engaged in this participation, students individually or in a small group will alternately lead part of class discussions.Late Assignment PolicyIf you have extenuating circumstances and need an extension on a paper or assignment, please request permission at least 24 hours prior. If a paper or assignment is late, you will be penalized a portion of a letter grade per day, for example an A becomes an A- if an assignment is 1 day late or a B+ if it’s 2 days late. So if an assignment due on a Wednesday is handed in Thursday it might go from an A to an A-, but if it wasn’t handed in until Friday it would be a B+.All assignments are to be emailed to my Daniel Webster email account.Assignments:Song Analysis (10pts x 2) You will select a hip hop alias and will lead class discussion by discussing how the lyrics of a selected song relates to the day’s assigned readings, recordings and/or debates. You will be expected to come to class prepared to engage in a discussion of the readings for that day and ty ping up a summary of the material and questions for the class. These summaries will be used as the basis for discussion and must be typed and handed in at the end of your designated class date. Use of media, PowerPoint, music, and so forth are welcome and encouraged. There will be no opportunities to hand in your responses at a later time; it is therefore critical that you participate on your scheduled day. Freestyle (10pts) What is your experience with Hip-Hop? You will write a 2-3 page essay that outlines what hip-hop means to you. You should try to use detailed description of at least one song of your choosing that represents what Hip-Hop means to you as a part of this assignment. Include first-person narrative that details your experiential relationship to Hip-Hop. Critical Response Papers (10pts x 3) You will be asked to write (3) critical response papers. Each response should be 2-3 double-spaced pages. In these responses, you will be responding critically, analytically and self-reflectively to the themes and topics we will be reading/discussing in class this semester. The purpose of these responses is threefold. First, it will ensure that you complete the homework assignments in a timely fashion and approach the work in a thoughtful and critical way. Second, the responses will support your participation in more stimulating discussions in class. Third, it will give you practice in writing criticism. You will be given a specific topic or theme as your focus and to assist in the framework of the response.Final Exam –Essay Exam (20 pts) Course Evaluation MethodsYour grade will be based on the following:Class Participation20 points Song Analysis20 pointsFreestyle Essay10 pointsCritical Response Papers (3)30 points Final Exam20 pointsTotal100 points Grading ScaleThe following percentage scale is used to assign letter grades:A = 93+ ExcellentC+= 76-79AverageA- = 90-92 ExcellentC = 70-75FairB+= 87-89 Very GoodD = 65-69 PassB = 83-86 GoodF = Below 65 FailureB- = 80-82GoodGRADING SCHEME:Critical Responses, Song Analyses, Freestyle Essays, Presentations, and Exams will be graded according to the following criteria: Argument: All around intelligent, innovative, and well-organized essay and oral presentation that reflects critical analysis of text, grammatically accurate, sophisticated argument, and strong critical analysis. Themes are clearly stated? Do the steps of the argument make sense and lead logically to the conclusion? Evidence: How well does the commentary or response use the evidence available from the class materials (reading, lectures, films and video clips)? Are there contradictory examples that should be discussed to eliminate doubt? How well are the examples used to support the argument?Style: How well is the written assignment written? Has it been carefully proofread? Are there clever terms, phrases, and interesting transitions? Was there a catchy opening and conclusion? Does the paper length match the assignment?Planned Schedule of ActivitiesThis course will be divided into the following four sections:Section 1: Roots/Routes: The Historical Origins of Hip-Hop Culture.Section 2: Foundations of Hip-Hop Section 3: The Hip Hop Culture IndustrySection 4: Hip-Hop WarsSchedule may be modified, with announcements posted in the course LMS.Week Topics Readings and Assignments1W Sept.3F Sept.5Course Overview and Introduction Day 1 - No Readings; Review syllabus & in-class writing and discussionDay 2 - Chang - Introduction, Prelude and Chapter 1 (Necropolis); Also: 1) Read 1 of the selected definition of Hip Hop from: Student to discuss James Brown’s Super Bad2) Use a Hip Hop Name Generator to Select a Hip Hop Artist Name 2M Sept.8W Sept.10F Sept.12Cultural, Political and Socioeconomic Roots Day 3 - Chang, Chapter 2 (Jamaica’s Roots Generation & the Cultural Turn)1 Student to discuss Jimmy Cliff’s The Harder They Come1 Student to discuss Bob Marley’s JammingDay 4 - Chang, Chapter 3 (The Gangs of the Bronx)1 Student to discuss lyrics of a Ghetto Brother’s songDay 5 - Chang, Chapter 4 (Making a Name...Hip Hop)1 Student to discuss song To be Determined3M Sept.15W Sept.17F Sept.19Faith and StyleFilm Analysis Paper DueDay 6 - Chang, Chapter 5 (Mystery & Faith of Afrika Bambaataa)1 Student to discuss song To be DeterminedDay 7 – Chang, Chapter 6 (Furious Styles)Also: Style Wars Student to discuss song To be DeterminedDay 8 - Chang, Chapter 7 (Survival and Transformation of Bronx Style)1 Student to discuss song To be DeterminedFREESTYLE Essay DUE4M Sept.22W Sept.24F Sept.26Cultural Expression,Culture Clash, and AcceptanceDay 9 - Film – “Wild Style”, watch online: The Writing on the Wall: Graffiti Culture Crumbles into the Violence it once escaped? Student to discuss song To be DeterminedDay 10 - Chang, Chapter 8 (Hip Hop meets the Rockers)1 Student to discuss song To be DeterminedDay 11 - Chang, Chapter 9 (Rapture in Reagan’s America)1 Student to discuss Grand Master Flash & the Furious Five’s The Message5M Sept.29W Oct.1F Oct.3Transformation, B-Boying, andTurntablism Day 12 - Chang, Chapter 10 (End of Innocence)Also Read 1 of the 2 selected articles on graffiti from: Student to discuss song To be DeterminedDay 13 –Film – “Planet B-Boy” Student to discuss song To be DeterminedDay 14 – Markski – “History of Turntablism” – Student to discuss song To be Determined6M Oct.6W Oct.8F Oct.10Sampling and the MixtapeSegregation to RepresentationDay 15 - Film – “Scratch” – watch online Student to discuss song To be DeterminedDay 16 - Chang, Chapter 11 (The Rise of the Post-Civil Rights Era)1 Student to discuss song To be DeterminedDay 17 - Chang, Chapter 12 (What We Got To Say)1 Student to discuss song To be Determined7T Oct.14W Oct.15F Oct.17Musicand Politics Day 18 - Chang, Chapter 13 (Post-Civil Rights Black Leadership)1 Student to discuss song To be DeterminedDay 19 - Chang, Chapter 14 (The Culture Assassins)1 Student to discuss song To be DeterminedDay 20 – Chang, Chapter 15 (The Real Enemy)1 Student to discuss song To be Determined8M Oct.20W Oct.22F Oct.24Unityand GlobalizationDay 21 – Chang, Chapter 16 (Peace and Rebellion)1 Student to discuss song To be DeterminedDay 22– Chang, Chapter 17 (All the Same Gang)1 Student to discuss song To be DeterminedDay 23– Chang, Chapter 18 (Becoming the Hip Hop Generation)1 Student to discuss song To be Determined9M Oct.27W Oct.29F Oct.31Diversity Day 24 – Chang, Chapter 19 (New World Order)1 Student to discuss song To be DeterminedDay 25 NPR – “Code switch” (Short Article with 2 brief Video clips) Student to discuss song To be DeterminedCritical Response Papers #1 DUE Day 26 – – Roberts – “Music Videos, Performance and Resistance: Feminist Rappers” (12 pages)– article on Reserve at the LibraryAlso “Ladies of Rap” – watch online Student to discuss song To be Determined10M Nov.3W Nov.5F Nov.7Criticisms of Hip HopAnd a Little HistoryDay 27 – Rose – Introduction1 Student to discuss song To be DeterminedDay 28 – Rose – Chapter 1 (Hip Hop Causes Violence)1 Student to discuss song To be DeterminedDay 29 – Rose – Chapter 2 (HH Reflects Black Dysfunctional Ghetto Culture)Also “Who is Sara Baartman?” – watch online Student to discuss song To be Determined11M Nov.10W Nov.12F Nov.14Utopiaand RealityDay 30 – Rose – Chapter 3 (Hip Hop Hurts Black People)1 Student to discuss song To be DeterminedDay 31– Rose – Chapter 4 (Destroying American Values)1 Student to discuss song To be DeterminedDay 32– Rose – Chapter 6 (Just Keeping It Real)1 Student to discuss song To be Determined12M Nov.17W Nov.19F Nov.21Sexism in Hip HopDay 33– Chapter 5 (Hip Hop Demeans Women)1 Student to discuss song To be DeterminedDay 34– Chapter 7 (Hip Hop is Not Responsible for Sexism)1 Student to discuss Tupac Shakur’s Keep Your Head UpDay 32– Rose – Chapter 8 (Bitches and Hoes)1 Student to discuss song To be Determined13M Nov.24NO CLASSES W Nov 26 or F Nov 28Beyond the MusicDay 35– Rose –Chapter 9 (We’re Not Role Models)Also Film – “Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes” Student to discuss song To be DeterminedCritical Response Paper#2 DUE 14M Dec.1W Dec.3F Dec.5 The Business of Hip Hopand the Benefits of Hip Hop Day 36– On Beat – “Who runs Hip Hop” – watch online Student to discuss song To be DeterminedDay 37– Film – “One night in Vegas” – watch online Student to discuss song To be DeterminedDay 38– Rose – Chapter 10 (the Positive in Hip Hop) & Preface (ix-xii)1 Student to discuss song To be Determined15M Dec.8W Dec.10F Dec.12ReconcilingDifferencesLooking Toward the FutureDay 39– Rose – Chapter 11 (Mutual Denials in the Hip Hop Wars)1 Student to discuss song To be DeterminedDay 40– Rose – Chapter 12 (Progressive Voices, Energies, and Visions)1 Student to discuss song To be DeterminedDay 41– Chapter 13 (Six Guiding Principles)1 Student to discuss song To be DeterminedCritical Response Paper#3 DUE 16Exam WeekFinal ExamDATE to Be DeterminedInstructor NotesBecause of the format of this class and the wide range of topics, it may be necessary to make some changes concerning schedules, readings or assignments. You will be notified in advance of any relevant changes. I will appreciate your flexibility in these situations.I am also open to suggestions and ideas and encourage you to notify me of any hip-hop issues or current events, which may interest you and that you would like to share with the class.When appropriate, lectures or presentations offered outside of the specific class schedule may be substituted for class time or as extra credit.Electronic Device Rules: All cell phones, pagers and anything that rings should be silenced before entering the classroom. Texting and tweeting will not be tolerated during class.Should you have any questions, comments or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me via email or phone. ................
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