In this introductory program we will work closely with sound, an emotionally resonant field of perception shaped by culture and history. Starting with the evolution of communication and human language, we will trace a history of sound and story, studying how oral cultures and the soundscapes of everyday life have changed over time. We will consider how technologies – like the phonograph and radio – enabled new kinds of listening, storytelling, and imagination, with implications for larger historical processes, including nationalism and colonialism. We will also study the place of music and story within political movements, with an emphasis on the rise of podcasting in contemporary cultures.
In addition to our in-class readings in anthropology, technology studies, and oral history, we will spend much of our in-class time experimenting with sound, listening closely, developing interviewing skills, recording audio, and working on a range of creative projects. Students will learn the fundamentals of audio editing using Adobe Audition and will produce several audio projects, including a podcast based on an original in-depth life history interview.
As part of our studies, there will be a required two-night field trip to Seattle to complete an event-based ethnography and collaborative audio podcast project.
Anticipated Credit Equivalencies:
4 - Anthropology of Sound
4 - Technology and Society: Audio Studies
4 - Audio Field Recording and Editing
4 - Oral History Interviewing
Registration
Academic Details
The program will prepare students for continued studies and careers in media, audio recording, anthropology, and the humanities.
$270 fee covers a 2 night field trip to Seattle ($220) and a required media fee ($50)