Civil Rights |  Women's Rights |  LGBTQ Rights 

Course Description

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The aesthetic experience of music – its ability to provoke powerful and visceral emotions, thoughts and ideas – is familiar to us all. Happiness and joy, melancholy and fear, courage and hope, are just some of the emotions and ideas music is able to elicit in us. It is no surprise then that music has been at the heart of many social movements. This course explored the influence of music in some such social movements. Starting with an exploration into the experience of music through its theory, styles, and genres, we went on to discuss the history, sociology and philosophy of the Civil Rights, the LGBTQ movement, and Women's Rights movements. Throughout the course we listened and analyzed the paradigmatic musics that were central these social movements and inquired into the role music can currently play in social action in the struggle for justice.

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Guest Artists and Advocates

Fake Mustashe, Drag King Troupe

Fake Mustache is a gender bending performance troupe of Drag Kings and Burlesque Dancers from Calgary, Alberta. Made up of every gender identity and representation, covering all genres of music, tastes in comedy and stage performance in a thoroughly entertaining show Fake Mustache will be the Kings of your night! All revenues from performances go to charity organizations that provide education, support and safe spaces for Queer Youth.

Ragging Grannies

The Calgary Raging Grannies are committed to promoting global peace, justice environmental protection and social and economic equality by raising public awareness through satirical songs. We dedicate our efforts to the children of the world that they may live on a peaceful and friendly planet, safe from war injustice and pollution.

Tim Nethercott

Drum master and Chaplain at the University of Calgary for the United and Presbyterian churches, Tim advocates for minority faith groups and uses drumming to encourage community and shared understanding among various beliefs.