Music, Technology, and Society
David Borgo
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That we are living through a phase of rapid technological and cultural change seems undeniable, and yet what kind of change it is, how widespread or systematic it may be, and what implications it may hold are still very much open questions. In this seminar we will use musical practice, and its interrelated history with technology and society, as our window into these complex questions. We will explore ways of assessing the extent and intensity of the kinds of changes that music and media technologies can bring about, while also interrogating much of the uncritical “cyperbole” that circulates in the popular realm. In short, we will explore the ways in which social, political and cultural values affect the design, production, consumption, and use of technology (especially in its relationship to musical practice), and how musical practice has, through countless contestations over the years, shaped our understandings of society and technology.
