Protest Music in France

FREN30002 Protest Music in France 20 Semester 2 Undergraduate Level 3 Barbara Lebrun Unit coordinator French Studies 1 FHEQ level (Framework for Higher Education Qualifications) ' Last part of a Bachelors ' European Credit Transfer & Accumulation System Rating : 10.0 <p style="margin-bottom:13px">This course unit examines different expressions of ‘protest’ in French popular music from the 1950s to the present, with an emphasis on four different genres and issues: the provocative and anti-Establishment origins of chanson à textes; feminism and the place of female (pop) singers; the representation of ethnic minorities in rap; the representation of LGBTQ+ identities today. After introductory sessions on popular music theory and the cultural significance of the notion of ‘protest’ in 20th-century France, the course locates various artists, songs and cultural debates in their historical, ideological, social, ethnic and sexual context. Artists featured may include (and not be limited to) Georges Brassens, Serge Gainsbourg, Barbara, Mylène Farmer, NTM, Black M, Christine and the Queens, Eddy de Pretto. The lectures gradually incorporate the notions of ‘authenticity’, ‘prestige’, ‘performance’, ‘stardom’, ‘gender’, ‘race’, ‘ethnicity’ and ‘queer’ identity, in order to critically situate the protest value and commercial success of key French and Francophone artists. In seminars, we study specific songs in an interdisciplinary manner, combining the analysis of primary material (lyrics, music, live and video performance, interviews), with the close reading of secondary texts (academic  criticism). At regular intervals, the seminars also offer methodological guidance for the completion of the music reviews and/or podcasts, and for the coursework essay.</p> <p>This course unit examines different expressions of ‘protest’ in French popular music from the 1950s to the present, with an emphasis on four different genres and issues: the provocative and anti-Establishment origins of chanson à textes; feminism and the place of female (pop) singers; the representation of ethnic minorities in rap; the representation of LGBTQ+ identities today. After introductory sessions on popular music theory and the cultural significance of the notion of ‘protest’ in 20th-century France, the course locates various artists, songs and cultural debates in their historical, ideological, social, ethnic and sexual context. Artists featured may include (and not be limited to) Georges Brassens, Serge Gainsbourg, Barbara, Mylène Farmer, NTM, Black M, Christine and the Queens, Eddy de Pretto. The lectures gradually incorporate the notions of ‘authenticity’, ‘prestige’, ‘performance’, ‘stardom’, ‘gender’, ‘race’, ‘ethnicity’ and ‘queer’ identity, in order to critically situate the protest value and commercial success of key French and Francophone artists. In seminars, we study specific songs in an interdisciplinary manner, combining the analysis of primary material (lyrics, music, live and video performance, interviews), with the close reading of secondary texts (academic  criticism). At regular intervals, the seminars also offer methodological guidance for the completion of the music reviews and/or podcasts, and for the coursework essay.</p> <ul> <li>To know and recognize major music artists of 20th- and 21st-c. France, and understand their cultural meaning (success, prestige, legacy);</li> <li>To reflect critically on the notions of ‘authenticity’ and ‘protest’, and the values of high/low culture, words and music, live and mediated performance; </li> <li>To analyse popular songs semiotically and to situate the success of singers in a clear historical, intellectual and aesthetic context, using an interdisciplinary methodology; </li> <li>To understand and use appropriate concepts for the analysis of popular songs (critical theory, performance, gender, identity, production, reception, etc). </li></ul><p> </p> <ul> <li>To know major music artists of 20th and 21st c. France and understand their meaning in French culture;</li> <li>To analyse popular songs and singers in an interdisciplinary manner; </li> <li>To appreciate the paradox that protest values can have vast commercial success and legimitate critical recognition; </li> <li>To use and understand appropriate concepts for the analysis of popular songs (critical theory, performance, gender, identity, production, reception, etc).</li> <li>To disseminate findings to both a general and specialist audience (via music review, podcast, scholarly essay)<br />  </li></ul> <ul> <li style="margin-bottom: 13px;">To define and manipulate concepts and methodologies mainly drawn from Cultural Studies; </li> <li style="margin-bottom: 13px;">To understand popular music as a semiotic system making sense through lyrics, music, star image, critical discourse, audience reception, and so on; </li> <li style="margin-bottom: 13px;">To evaluate critically the notions of ‘cultural identity’ and ‘national culture’, specifically Frenchness; </li> <li style="margin-bottom: 13px;">To analyse and critically evaluate the construction of a national music culture in contemporary France. </li></ul><p style="margin-bottom:13px"> </p> <ul> <li style="margin-bottom: 13px;">Reading, writing and speaking fluently in sophisticated French; likewise in English. </li> <li style="margin-bottom: 13px;">To structure, research and write an essay individually;</li> <li style="margin-bottom: 13px;">To prepare, record and upload an individual podcast (optional)</li> <li style="margin-bottom: 13px;">To carry out independent research; </li> <li style="margin-bottom: 13px;">To participate in class discussions in French and English</li></ul> <p style="margin-bottom:13px">By the end of this course students will be able to:</p><ul> <li style="margin-bottom: 13px;">Engage in independent reflection and enquiry.</li> <li style="margin-bottom: 13px;">Analyse sources and cultural meanings, and provide a synthesis of their findings.</li> <li style="margin-bottom: 13px;">Carefully formulate a research question, and structure their answer in a logical manner. </li> <li style="margin-bottom: 13px;">Use a recording software (e.g. VoiceThread, Audacity). </li> <li style="margin-bottom: 13px;">Write in formal French and/or English. </li> <li style="margin-bottom: 13px;">Participating in group discussions in French and English</li> <li style="margin-bottom: 13px;">Engage in group discussion.</li> <li style="margin-bottom: 13px;">Work as part of a team.<br />  </li></ul> Other The course will have particular benefits for students interested in pursuing a career in teaching and learning, (music) journalism, social services and diversity, as well as qualitative data analysis. The course enhances skills of analysis, synthesis, oral presentation and written reporting. The course content also encourages students to reflect upon the world outside of University, thereby providing confidence in the use of rigorous academic research in a variety of non-academic environments. <ul><li>Three weekly hours in class for 11 weeks.</li><li>A blend of lectures and seminars.</li><li>Voluntary individual and group presentations on songs and artists.</li><li>Further one-to-one consultation on demand.</li><li>IT support for podcast recording.  </li><li>Extensive online resources via Canvas and the Library. </li></ul> 0 Other 100% <p> </p><figure class="table"><table style="border-color:hsl(0, 0%, 90%);border-style:solid;"><tbody><tr><td style="border-color:hsl(0, 0%, 90%);border-style:solid;">Assessment task </td><td style="border-color:hsl(0, 0%, 90%);border-style:solid;">Length  </td><td style="border-color:hsl(0, 0%, 90%);border-style:solid;">Weighting within unit </td></tr><tr><td style="border-color:hsl(0, 0%, 90%);border-style:solid;">Draft plan for task 1 </td><td style="border-color:hsl(0, 0%, 90%);border-style:solid;">300 words</td><td style="border-color:hsl(0, 0%, 90%);border-style:solid;">Formative, 0% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-color:hsl(0, 0%, 90%);border-style:solid;">1 music review OR 1 podcast  </td><td style="border-color:hsl(0, 0%, 90%);border-style:solid;">1,000 words (review) OR 5-7 minutes (podcast) </td><td style="border-color:hsl(0, 0%, 90%);border-style:solid;">Summative, 40%  </td></tr><tr><td style="border-color:hsl(0, 0%, 90%);border-style:solid;">Draft essay plan </td><td style="border-color:hsl(0, 0%, 90%);border-style:solid;">500 words </td><td style="border-color:hsl(0, 0%, 90%);border-style:solid;">Formative, 0% </td></tr><tr><td style="border-color:hsl(0, 0%, 90%);border-style:solid;">1 Coursework Essay </td><td style="border-color:hsl(0, 0%, 90%);border-style:solid;">Title to be approved by tutor, 2,500 words </td><td style="border-color:hsl(0, 0%, 90%);border-style:solid;">Summative, 60% </td></tr></tbody></table></figure><p>Re-sit Assessment</p><figure class="table"><table style="border-color:hsl(0, 0%, 90%);border-style:solid;"><tbody><tr><td style="border-color:hsl(0, 0%, 90%);border-style:solid;">Assessment task</td><td style="border-color:hsl(0, 0%, 90%);border-style:solid;">Length</td></tr><tr><td style="border-color:hsl(0, 0%, 90%);border-style:solid;">1 coursework</td><td style="border-color:hsl(0, 0%, 90%);border-style:solid;">3,000 words</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <ul> <li>Formative, individual, in-class oral remarks on students’ participation and understanding. </li> <li>Specialist IT support for students choosing to record podcasts</li> <li>Formative, individual written comments on the students’ draft outline for their music reviews and coursework. </li> <li>Summative, individual written comments on the music reviews and podcasts. </li> <li>Further individual, face-to-face feedback on the coursework if desired, by appointment.</li> <li>And finally, summative and individual written feedback on the coursework.<br />  </li></ul> <p>Not free choice on UG programme, but available as a free choice unit (in its ‘enhanced’ formula) for students on the MA in Modern Languages and Cultures</p> Y <p>There is no set text to buy for this course unit, but key recommendations include: </p><ul> <li>Béru, Laurent. ‘Le rap français, un produit musical postcolonial ?’, <em>Volume</em>, 6 (1/2), 2007, 61-79</li> <li>Bourderionnet, Olivier. ‘Brassens, Gainsbourg : contemporains ? Métamorphoses de la chanson au c&oelig;ur des Trente Glorieuses’, <em>Contemporary French Civilization</em>, 30 (1), 2006, 91-116.</li> <li>Dauncey, Hugh and Steve Cannon (eds). <em>Popular Music in France from Chanson to Techno</em> (Aldershot: Ashgate, 2003). </li> <li>Looseley, David. <em>Popular Music in Contemporary France:</em> <em>Authenticity, Politics, Debates</em> (Oxford: Berg, 2003). <br />  </li></ul><p> </p> Lectures 22 Seminars 11 0 160 <p> </p><p> </p>