The City in Song: Popular Music, Ethnographic Insights, and Urban Studies Pedagogy

Abstract

Scholarly research on the relationship between music and place draws on interdisciplinary insight from geographers, sociologists, musicologists, and others. Common themes include origins/dissemination of musical styles, the cultural politics of music, and the role music in urban economies. Sometimes overlooked, one of the most compelling ways in which music is spatial is in its ability to tell stories about places, conditions, and issues – providing ethnographic insight into urban life. We consider the efficacy of employing popular music to engage first-year college students and influence their understanding of urban issues and public policy. This is examined through reflection on two offerings of a freshman seminar course called “The City in Song.” Analysis comes from students’ written reflections and data from pre- and post-tests that gauged students’ familiarity with urban studies concepts. We argue that it is possible to use a diverse community of songs, in conversation with one another, to explore how cities change, the policies and social factors that cause those changes, and how different groups can experience the same city differently. We conclude with ideas for more robust approaches to incorporating music into urban studies pedagogy.