MUS2108 : Music and Empire (Inactive)
- Inactive for Year: 2025/26
- Module Leader(s): Dr Charlotte Bentley
- Lecturer: Dr Eric Doughney
- Owning School: Arts & Cultures
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
1. To develop a broad knowledge of European colonialism and its legacies in relation to music, c. 1500 to the present.
2.To explore how colonial epistemologies have informed methods of musical study, and to introduce students to postcolonial, decolonial, and indigenous modes of music historiography.
3. To provide students with the tools to critically appraise recent initiatives to “decolonise the curriculum” in music studies.
Outline Of Syllabus
The course will comprise several individual sections, each one unpacking specific elements of the topic, including key concepts, events, and musical case studies. Indicative examples of these topics include:
-The roots of colonialism
-Music within and under colonialism
-Music against colonialism
-Music and decoloniality.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 11 | 2:00 | 22:00 | N/A |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 40 | 1:00 | 40:00 | N/A |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 10 | 2:00 | 20:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 11 | 1:00 | 11:00 | N/A |
| Guided Independent Study | Reflective learning activity | 10 | 1:00 | 10:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Drop-in/surgery | 2 | 0:30 | 1:00 | N/A |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 96 | 1:00 | 96:00 | N/A |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
The course will be taught using a combination of lectures and seminars. Lectures will review weekly topics, outlining key terms, concepts, debates, historical figures, and musical works in relation to the assigned weekly reading(s) and listening. Seminars will develop students’ comprehension of key concepts and debates by working with primary source materials, and through class discussion and structured group tasks. Student independent learning will involve guided reading, listening, and the completion of a weekly reflective commentary on the virtual learning environment; these tasks will allow students to participate fully in seminar sessions.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio | 1 | A | 100 | A portfolio of between 3,500 and 4,000 words, consisting of three case studies. |
Formative Assessments
Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prof skill assessmnt | 1 | M | Weekly seminar tasks to help introduce students to a range of sources and approaches. Students will receive verbal formative feedback during the seminars. |
| Written exercise | 1 | M | A plan for the summative portfolio (no more than 500 words) to be submitted in Week 8. The module leader will provide written feedback. |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The portfolio assessment will consist of three case studies and an introduction, which must draw out connections between the case studies. At least one of the three case studies must be formulated through students' independent research; the other two may draw on lecture materials and the weekly preparatory seminar tasks.
The portfolio will test students’ understanding of the conceptual content of the module and examine their ability to critique ideas from scholarly literature. It will also create opportunities for independent research and for applying the knowledge and skills gained from the module.
Students will receive verbal formative feedback during the seminars on the weekly preparatory tasks. This formative feedback will help them to shape their ideas for the portfolio. Students will have the opportunity to submit a plan for their portfolio on which they will receive written feedback.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- MUS2108's Timetable