Classes & Reading assignments

Week 1 - Sept 6: "The Persianate World": a viable concept? Introduction to the musics of Iran and Central Asia

Week 2 - Sept 13: Music, politics and society in 20th century Central Asia

Week 3 - Sept 20: Mountain music of Tajikistan (and Northern Afghanistan): folk and popular traditions, contexts and meanings

Week 4 - Sept 27: Tajik-Uzbek art music (Shashmaqom and related genres): repertoires, structures, history and contemporary practice

Week 5 - Oct 4: Mountain music of Tajikistan (and Northern Afghanistan)(continued): ritual and poetry among the Ismailis of Badakhshan

Week 6 - Oct 11: The voice, sung poetry and religion in Central and Inner Asia: aesthetics and ethics

Week 7 - Oct 18: Music politics and society in 20th century Iran

Week 8 - Oct 25 : Introduction to Persian art music: repertoire and performance practice, tradition, spirituality and ideology

Week 9 - Nov 1: Regional traditions of Iran: the music of Iranian Khorasan

Week 10 - Nov 8: Popular musics: globalization and local identity in Iran and Central Asia

Week 11 - Nov 15: Music and gender in Central and Inner Asia