Sociology of Music: Theory and Method
Objectives
a) To gain a knowledge and understand the main concepts, theories and research methods in the sociology of music;
b) To gain a knowledge of sociological principles, theoretical frameworks, perspectives, and their application;
c) To gain an awareness of the state of the art in specific domains of sociology of music research;
d) To learn how to use tools and principles of sociology of music in a research situation;
e) To acquire skills to discuss and compare different conceptual and theoretical positions in the field of sociology o
f music and to place them in the context of the paradigms of the social sciences and humanities;
f) The acquisition of independent and critical thinking as well as the ability to synthesize, document and communicate ideas and information in the field.
General characterization
Code
711021070
Credits
6.0
Responsible teacher
Paula Cristina Roberto Gomes Ribeiro Brandão
Hours
Weekly - 4
Total - 168
Teaching language
Portuguese
Prerequisites
N/A
Bibliography
Adorno,T. W.(2009). Introdução à sociologia da música.Universidade Estadual Paulista.
Becker, H.S.(2010). Mundos da arte.Livros Horizonte.
Bennet, A.,& Waksman,S.(Eds.).(2015). The SAGE Handbook of popular music.
DeNora, T.(2000). Music in everyday life. Cambridge University Press.
Frith, S.(1996). Performing rites: Evaluating popular music.Oxford University Press.
Gomes-Ribeiro, P., et al (Eds.) (2022).Convergências musicais. Gosto,identidade e mundo.Húmus.
Hennion, A.(1993). La passion musicale.Une sociologie de la médiation. Métailié.
Martin,P. J.(2007). Music and the sociological gaze: Art worlds and cultural production. Manchester University Press.
McCormick, L.(2022). The cultural sociology of art and music. Palgrave.
Shepherd, J.,& Devine, J.(Eds.).(2015).The Routledge reader on the sociology of music. Routledge.
Small,C.(1998). Musicking:The meanings of performing and listening. Wesleyan University Press.
Smudits, A.(2019). Roads to music sociology.Springer.
Teaching method
Active methodologies are used, in a combination of expository and demonstrative components, the development of projects in a collaborative and interactive manner, the work on case studies, wikis, forums, oral and written presentations, analysis of audio examples and audiovisual examples, with extensive use of computer tools. Background references are provided, on Nónio and Moodle, as well as reading and listening recommendations made available in each class.
Evaluation method
Continuous Assessment
Written test (13 May 2025) - 45.0%
Active participation in individual or group exercises, readings and debates during lessons - 10.0%
Trabalho escrito de grupo (com temas individuais) sobre um tópico a definir, a ser exposto e discutido na aula e precedido pela entrega de um plano de trabalho - (apresentações durante a 2ª metade de maio, entrega final do trabalho escrito até 3 de junho) 45.0
Subject matter
1. Introduction to the field, objects, theories, methodologies, and key concepts of the sociology of music in the context of the social sciences and humanities in general and musicology in particular;
2. Historical mapping of the discipline, from foundations to the present day;
3. Problems, topics and case studies in sociology of music (revised annually according to criteria of social pertinence and scientific up-to-date-ness);
3.1. Music as an instrument of social ordering and technology of identity (DeNora, Small, Frith, Martin, Shepherd & Devine);
3.2 Musical scenes and cultures of taste (DeNora, Peterson & Bennet, Schafer, Frith, Bourdieu, Thornton);
3.3 Technologies, media and music industries (Hesmondhalgh, Frith, Adorno, Cook);
3.4 Music, gender and sexuality (Solie, Citron, McClary, Bourdieu, Maus, Warwick)