American Studies 340 - SYMPSM: AMERICAN UNDERGROUNDS

Topics course. Limited to senior majors.: Since the 1960s, “the underground” has been a privileged space of artistic innovation, political radicalism and authentic selfhood. Today, hip-hop and punk musicians describe themselves as “underground” to emphasize their integrity; keep things real, avoid “selling out,” evade being co-opted by the dominant order. But what does it mean to be underground? Where did the idea originate? What happens to politics and art when they are imagined as an “underground” activity? This course offers a critical history of “the underground,” from the underground slave railroad of the early 19th century to the underground music scenes of today. Instructor permission required.

Instructor Permission. Limited to AMS majors Limited to seniors