

Past Courses: Spring 2002 | Fall 2002
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| Syllabus | Experiential Learning
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Professor: Andrew
J. Ryan
Office Hours: ENT 4th Floor Conference Room, Monday 6.00 to 7.00 PM or
by appointment
Meeting Times: Enterprise Hall Room 279, Monday 7.20 to 10.00 PM
Teacher's Assistant: Drew Huttner <nhuttner[at]gmu.edu>
Course Web-site: http://classweb.gmu.edu/ajryan/nclc275_s03/
Contact Information:
703.993.1436 (school)
703.234.0750 (work)
202.841.4090 (cell) after 9 PM
ajryan[at]gmu.edu
Course Description and Goals: BEATS, RHYME AND CULTURE will examine the history of Hip-hop and the effect it has had on our society. The primary focus of this course is to engage Hip-hop not as a mode of entertainment, but as a medium of communication which impacts, represents, and misrepresents the life experiences of youth (especially inner-city youth) in the United States. The historical, socio-economic, and musical/aesthetic contexts from which Hip-hop emerged will be analyzed. Distinct themes and phenomena that define Hip-hop will be presented and discussed as well. The goal of this course is to have you critically think, write, and discuss the origins, themes, and direction of Hip-hop in the context of contemporary American culture and abroad.