The City in Song: Using Popular Music in Urban Studies Pedagogy

Abstract

Urban studies disciplines could benefit from embracing popular music as a pedagogical tool—an accessible medium that often provides ethnographic insight into urban life. This paper reflects on the experience of teaching a course called “The City in Song,” and considers the outcomes and lessons learned from employing popular music to engage college students and influence their understanding of urban issues. The seminar course used a diverse community of songs, in conversation with one another, to explore how cities change, the policies and factors that cause changes, and how different groups can experience the same city differently.