2.0

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This course explores the interplay between the development of the colonial and post-colonial city and the emergence of popular cultures in Africa. Because the field of popular cultures is deeply interdisciplinary, this course draws on disciplines such as history, anthropology, literary studies, linguistics and others to illuminate the power of expressive urban cultures in the ways in which African societies have used them to cope with colonial change and modernity. It is organized around reading modules that focus on music, cinema, theater, religious movements, fashion, recycled art and sports. We will read a variety of texts from noted specialists in the field of popular cultures. As we examine the criteria each scholar establishes to determine the nature, content and social significance of popular cultures within the African context, participants will be encouraged to develop their own theoretical perspectives or, at the very least, a set of criteria for developing an encompassing interpretive theory of popular cultures.