Veidlapa Nr. M-3 (8)
Study Course Description

Music and Silence

Main Study Course Information

Course Code
KSK_171
Branch of Science
Social Anthropology; Sociology and social work
ECTS
3.00
Target Audience
Sociology
LQF
Level 7
Study Type And Form
Full-Time

Study Course Implementer

Course Supervisor
Structure Unit Manager
Structural Unit
Faculty of Social Sciences
Contacts

Dzirciema street 16, Rīga, szf@rsu.lv

About Study Course

Objective

To develop students' understanding of the anthropology of music and prepare them for research on musical processes and their socio-cultural contexts, providing knowledge of music as a form of non-verbal communication.

Preliminary Knowledge

Bachelor's degree in a social, cultural or artistic discipline.

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge

1.Students will acquire knowledge and competence on the topics 'anthropology of music', 'forms of silence', 'silence in communication and intercultural communication', 'acoustic ecology', acquire relevant terminological apparatus and theories.

Skills

1.Students will be able to apply the theories and terms they have learned to the analysis of musical practices and other phenomena of non-verbal acoustic communication; they will acquire the skills to research problems related to forms of acoustic communication and to present the results of such research.

Competences

1.Critically evaluate the theoretical and empirical material covered in this course, use it to interpret and analyse other theoretical and empirical material; apply the acquired knowledge and skills to identify and investigate current issues in acoustic communication.

Assessment

Individual work

Title
% from total grade
Grade
1.
Individual work
-
-
Students are expected to study the required readings, prepare oral presentations and write papers independently. Students independently prepare for seminars using the RSU library, subscribed databases, and other digital resources. Specific assignments are updated annually and outlined on the e-learning platform.

Examination

Title
% from total grade
Grade
1.
Examination
-
-
A written exam paper on a typical phenomenon or a specific case of acoustic communication .
2.
Examination
-
-
Seminar contributions (50% of the mark) and written examination (50% of the mark).

Study Course Theme Plan

FULL-TIME
Semester 1
  1. Course and Industry Description. Introduction: Music as communication. The concept of music.

EventType
Modality
Location
Contact hours
1.
Lecture
On site
Auditorium
2
2.
Class/Seminar
On site
Auditorium
2
  1. Acoustic biocommunication.

EventType
Modality
Location
Contact hours
1.
Lecture
On site
Auditorium
2
2.
Lecture
On site
Auditorium
2
3.
Class/Seminar
On site
Auditorium
2
4.
Class/Seminar
On site
Auditorium
2
  1. Silence. Types and functions. Cultural specificity of silence.

EventType
Modality
Location
Contact hours
1.
Lecture
On site
Auditorium
2
2.
Class/Seminar
On site
Auditorium
2
  1. Silence and sound environment. Basic types of soundscapes. Ecological and communicative aspects of the sound environment. Acoustic pollution.

EventType
Modality
Location
Contact hours
1.
Lecture
On site
Auditorium
2
2.
Class/Seminar
On site
Auditorium
2
  1. Music features.

EventType
Modality
Location
Contact hours
1.
Lecture
On site
Auditorium
2
2.
Class/Seminar
On site
Auditorium
2
Total ECTS (Creditpoints):
3.00
Contact hours:
24 Academic Hours
Final Examination:
Exam (Written)

Bibliography

Required Reading

1.

Clayton, Martin, Trevor Herbert, and Richard Middleton. The Cultural Study of Music: A Critical Introduction. 2nd ed. Florence: Florence: Routledge, 2012. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203149454.

2.

Macdonald, Raymond A. R. and David J. Hargreaves, Dorothy Miell (eds.) Musical Identities. Oxford: Oxford University Press: 2002.

3.

Truax, Barry. Acoustic Communication. 2nd ed., Westport, CT: Ablex: 2001.

4.

Schafer, R. Murray. The Soundscape. Our Sonic Environment and the Tuning of the World. Destiny, Rochester, Vermont. 1994.

5.

Böhme, Gernot. “Acoustic Atmospheres. A Contribution to the Study of Ecological Aesthetics.” Soundscape. The Journal of Acoustic Ecology. Vol. 1, No 1, spring 2000: 14–18.

6.

Copeland, Darren. “Associative Listening.” Soundscape. The Journal of Acoustic Ecology. Vol. 1, No 1, spring 2000: 23–25.

7.

Wrightson, Kendall. “An Introduction to Acoustic Ecology.” Soundscape. The Journal of Acoustic Ecology. Vol. 1, No 1, spring 2000: 10–13.

8.

Knapp, Karlfried. “Metaphorical and Interactional Uses of Silence.” In: Erfurt Electronic Studies in English. 2000, Nr. 7.

9.

Schmitz, Ulrich. „Eloquent silence.” Universität Duisburg–Essen: LINSE – Linguistik–Server Essen: 1994.

Additional Reading

1.

Dambis, Pauls. “Klusuma spēles jeb sarunas par neko.” Mūzikas Saule, Nr. 4, maijs: 2001: 12-14. (latviešu plūsmai)

2.

Knapp, Karlfried. “Schweigt der Finne, wenn er nichts sagt?” In: Ahti Jäntti, Marion Holtkamp, Annemarie Vogt (Hrsg.) Schweigen in Kommunikation und Kunst. Vorträge des am Finnland–Institut in Deutschland, Berlin, abgehaltenen Symposiums vom 23.–25. Mai 1996. Schriftenreihe des Finnland–Instituts in Deutschland, Berlin. Berlin: Berlin Verlag, Arno Spitz GmbH: 2001: 49–64.

3.

Lehtonen, Jaakko. “Der schweigende Finne – Mythos oder Wirklichkeit?” In: Ahti Jäntti, Marion Holtkamp, Annemarie Vogt (Hrsg.) Schweigen in Kommunikation und Kunst. Vorträge des am Finnland–Institut in Deutschland, Berlin, abgehaltenen Symposiums vom 23.–25. Mai 1996. Schriftenreihe des Finnland–Instituts in Deutschland, Berlin. Berlin: Berlin Verlag, Arno Spitz GmbH: 2001: 28-48.

4.

Mensching, Gustav. Das heilige Schweigen. Eine religionsgeschichtliche Untersuchung. Giessen: Verlag von Alfred Töpelmann: 1926.

5.

Winkler, Justin. “Landschaft hören.” In: Klanglandschaft wörtlich. Akustische Umwelt in transdisziplinärer Perspektive. Online-Publikation. Basel: Forum für Klanglandschaft, Akroma Verlag: 1999.

6.

Nettl, Bruno. The Study of Ethnomusicology. Twenty-nine Issues and Concepts. 3rd ed. Urbana, Chicago, London: University of Illinois Press: 2015.

7.

Merriam, Alan P. The Anthropology of Music. Northwestern Uiversity Press: 1964.

8.

Baker, J. Sidney. “The Theory of Silences.” The Journal of General Psychology. Experimental, Theoretical, Clinical and Historical Psychology. Vol. 53: 1955: 145–167.

9.

Niinikangas, Vese. “The Art of Silence. “Finns, damn it!”“ In: Life and Education in Finland, 1992, No 4: 22-25.

10.

Sinclair, David. “Why Americans Cannot Keep Quiet.” In: Life and Education in Finland, 1992, No 4: 27-29.

11.

Stockmann, Doris. “Perception and Valuation Processes of Music in Cross–modal Aesthetic Communication.” In: Trends and Perspectives in Musicology. Preceedings of the World Music Conference of the International Music Council October 3–5 1983. Stockholm: Kungl. Musikaliska Akademien: 1985: 35-48.

12.

Hargreaves, David J. and Adrian C. North (eds.). The Social Psychology of Music. Oxford: Oxford University Press: 1997: 123-140.

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