Protest Song Project
Choose a controversial issue and write a song about it. You may choose any issue in any time period, subject to limitations of civility and good taste. (i.e. you may not write a song advocating racism, sexism, violence, and so on!) Once you have written a song, you will put it to music and add video.
- Do some research. Pick an historical time frame, a major event, such as a war, or election. Or you may want to pick an “Era” such as the Roaring Twenties, the Gilded Age, or the Bush Years.
- Pick an issue of personal importance. Current popular music deals with issues like abortion, war, racism, homosexual rights, immigration, sexism, police brutality, gun violence, etc.
- Write your brief.
How did you decide on this topic? Give a brief history of this topic.
Do you think your protest song/video is successful? WHY? What is the strongest and weakest part?
If you had to do it over again what would you change?
- Course/level: Power to the People (Inciting Insight) First Year Seminar (100-level)
Course description: This seminar will examine artists and artistic movements that have challenged authority and demanded social change. It will illustrate the ways dissent and rebellion has manifested itself in poetry, film, graffiti mural art, visual art, graphic art, theater, television, fashion, and music. Students will study radical collectives and artists, designers, writers, actors, and musicians who became activists in order to gain an understanding of cultural periods and social movements that were affected by the ability and power of art to raise awareness and transform society.Students will also have the opportunity to take on the role of activist themselves and apply their skills to create works dedicated to promoting positive change and exploring solutions to current personal/local/national/global issues such as civil liberties, equality, politics, or war. - Tasks: Concept, Design & Development
- Software: Garageband, iMovie
STUDENT PROJECTS