Module: Music of the African Diaspora

Module Specifications.

Current Academic Year 2024 - 2025

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Date posted: September 2024

Module Title	Music of the African Diaspora
Module Code	MC224 (ITS) / MPA1039 (Banner)
Faculty	Humanities & Social Sciences	School	Theology, Philosophy & Music
Module Co-ordinator	Ronan Guilfoyle
Module Teachers	-
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	5
Pre-requisite	Not Available
Co-requisite	Not Available
Compatibles	Not Available
Incompatibles	Not Available

Repeat examination

Description

A module designed to explore the evolution of music in the Americas from the perspective of its African musical roots, evolving primarily from the interaction of African and European cultures. Music from the Caribbean, Cuba, Brazil and other areas of the Americas will be explored . Learners will deepen their understanding of the cultural and contextual aspects of the music of the African Diaspora through reading key texts, and extensive listening.

Learning Outcomes

1. Outline how a big part of music in the Americas has evolved from past practices driven primarily by the interaction of African and European cultures.
2. Develop a factual and conceptual framework for understanding the development of music in the Americas from its roots in pre-15th century Africa.
3. Analyse individual styles of music from the Americas in their appropriate social, historical, and aesthetic context

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full-time hours per semester
Lecture	24	Weekly, A two-hour group lecture
Independent Study	66	Research on the music of the African Diaspora through listening and reading
Assignment Completion	35	Essay on chosen topic
Total Workload: 125

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Survey of the connections between the music of the Americas and their origins in the music of West Africa
A thorough survey of the connections between the music of various traditions in the Americas and their origins in the music of West Africa. The evolution of these musics through the interaction between music of European and African cultures will also be surveyed and the social context of the various styles will be explored. The module will be studied in the form of regional styles encompassing the music of the following regions: ° Brazil ° Caribbean (excluding Cuba) ° Cuba ° South America (excluding Brazil) ° North America (excluding jazz which will be dealt with in a separate module)

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment	100%	Examination Weight	0%

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Course Work Breakdown
Essay	Demonstration of knowledge of the music of the African Diaspora through an essay on a chosen topic	50%	Week 24
Practical/skills evaluation	Demonstration of knowledge of the music of the African Diaspora through a listening test	50%	Sem 2 End

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories: Resit category 1: A resit is available for both* components of the module. Resit category 2: No resit is available for a 100% continuous assessment module. Resit category 3: No resit is available for the continuous assessment component where there is a continuous assessment and examination element.
* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a Continuous Assessment/Examination split; where the module is 100% continuous assessment, there will also be a resit of the assessment
This module is category 1

Indicative Reading List

Samuel A. Floyd, Jr: 1996, The power of Black music, Oxford University Press, New York, 9780195109757
LeRoi Jones: 1999, Blues people, William Morrow, New York, 068818474X
Braggs, Rashida K.: 2016, Jazz Diasporas: Race, Music, and Migration in Post-World War II Paris, University of California Press, 9780520279353
Timothy Rommen: 0, Funky Nassau: Roots, Routes, and Representation in Bahamian Popular Music, University of California Press, 0520265696
Martin Munro: 2010, Different drummers, University of California Press, Berkeley, 0520262824

Other Resources

28082, CD, Various, 0, Cuba, Putamayo Records PUT-1492, 28083, CD, Various, 0, Samba, Bossa Nova, Putamayo Records PUT-1438, 28084, CD, Various, 0, Latin Jazz, Putamayo Records PUT-1462, 28085, CD, George Mitchell, 0, George Mitchell Collection – Country Blues, Fat Possum Records,