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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY
COURSE CODE: "CMS/GDR 346"
COURSE NAME: "Popular Music, Gender and Sexuality"
SEMESTER & YEAR:
Spring 2025
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SYLLABUS
INSTRUCTOR:
Fiamma Mozzetta
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS:
TTH 4:30 PM 5:45 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS:
45
CREDITS:
3
PREREQUISITES:
Prerequisites: COM 220, CMS 316, CMS/GDR 360 or permission of the instructor
OFFICE HOURS:
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COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The course examines the relationship between popular music and constructed understandings of gender and sexuality. Students will learn to critically evaluate and deconstruct traditional representations of gender and sexuality and the ways in which they influence musical practices at the level of production, dissemination and consumption. Canonical, alternative and ambivalent representations of masculinity and femininity and other subjectivities beyond the binary will be analyzed from different theoretical perspectives (e.g. popular music studies, media theory, feminist theory, queer theory). The course will also investigate understandings and representations of queerness in popular music which often articulate themselves either as enriching exposition or mere commercial exploitation. Strong emphasis will be placed on notions of intersectionality with other social positionings (race, class, etc).
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SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
The course will introduce students to key issues in regard to gender and sexuality through a variety of popular music practices (performance, representation, production, reception). The course will articulate itself through a series of readings, lectures, class discussion and listening and screening sessions.
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LEARNING OUTCOMES:
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
- Understand key issues and perspectives related to music, gender and sexuality
- Identify and explain different ways in which notions of gender and sexuality are constructed and deconstructed in pop
- Critically evaluate a variety of popular music practices
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TEXTBOOK:
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REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
| Book Title | Author | Publisher | ISBN number | Library Call Number | Comments |
| The Routledge research companion to popular music and gender | Stan Hawkins | Routledge | 9780367581312 | | |
| Sexing the groove : popular music and gender | Sheila Whiteley | Routledge | 9780415146715 | | |
RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
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GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
| Assignment | Guidelines | Weight |
| Participation and Attendance | | 20 |
| Presentation + research paper | | 25 |
| Final exam | | 30 |
| Weekly assignments and in-class workshops | | 25 |
-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS AND EXAMINATION POLICY
You cannot make-up a major exam (midterm or final) without the permission of the Dean’s Office. The Dean’s Office will grant such permission only when the absence was caused by a serious impediment, such as a documented illness, hospitalization or death in the immediate family (in which you must attend the funeral) or other situations of similar gravity. Absences due to other meaningful conflicts, such as job interviews, family celebrations, travel difficulties, student misunderstandings or personal convenience, will not be excused. Students who will be absent from a major exam must notify the Dean’s Office prior to that exam. Absences from class due to the observance of a religious holiday will normally be excused. Individual students who will have to miss class to observe a religious holiday should notify the instructor by the end of the Add/Drop period to make prior arrangements for making up any work that will be missed. The final exam period runs until ____________
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ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic
dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred.
In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment,
may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of
academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student
who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from
the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation
to the President, who will make the final decision.
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STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap.
Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning
of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.
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SCHEDULE
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Week 1: Introduction
- What is popular music, gender, sexuality
Week 2-3: Historical contextualization and key concepts/debates to the study of gender and sexuality in PM
- Gender and sexuality in the history of PM / Rockism and poptimism
Week 4-6: Constructing and deconstructing masculinity / femininity
- Boy bands / The male star as object of desire / The female artist: hyperfeminine, hypersexual, heterosexual / Feminist activism
Week 7-9: Queerness in PM
- Being queer and performing queerness / LGBTQ+ music
Week 10-11: The music industry
- Power and privilege / Sexism and discrimination / Women and nonbinary individuals in the studio / Technology and gender
Week 12: Audience reception and interpretation
- The male and female listener, taste and stereotyping
Week 13: Student presentations
Week 14: Review + Final
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