French Popular Music and Society (MUS-0029)

Fall 2026 · MUS 0029 · Tufts University · 3 credits · Undergraduate

French culture through a survey of commercial popular music produced in France and the francophone world from the 1930s to the present–––with an emphasis on the links between landmark musical genres, cultural trends, and critical socio-political issues at stake in each era. Topics may include the relationship between French language and cultural identity; protest and change after May ‘68; transnational influences and the authenticity debate; public and private negotiations of race, immigration status, and religious difference; colonial and postcolonial transformations; evolutions in conceptions of gender and sexuality; and the role of technology in shaping musical values and communities. Analysis of French popular music in its cultural contexts through a close reading of primary sources (songs, albums, lyrics, music videos, music journalism) and secondary literature drawn from the interdisciplinary field of French Studies. In English. No prerequisites.

Course codes: MUS-0029, MUS 0029, MUS0029, MUS-29, MUS 29, MUS29

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