about music questions
BL ST. 152: MUSIC OF THE AFRICAN DIASPORA
MIDTERM EXAM, FALL QUARTER, 2021.
Due: Without exception, in PDF and by email, at 8:00pm (PST), Monday, November 01, 2021.
Instructor: Dr. Jude G. Akudinobi.
Instructor’s email address: akudinob@blackstudies.ucsb.edu.
DIRECTIONS:
*Attempt only three questions.
*Question # 1, Section A, is compulsory.
*Choose two more question from Section B.
*Keep your answers clear, concise and analytical.
*Address your responses to the specific demands of each question.
*Illustrate your answers with apt references, and cite key sources used.
*Limit your responses to three, double-spaced, 12 pitch font pages per question.
*No excuses, late papers or haphazard submission of papers would be accepted.
*Your answer scripts must include questions chosen, your name, be in PDF and MLA format.
QUESTIONS:
SECTION A 1) Using readings and genres encountered, so far, discuss the importance of history, heritage,
cultures, creativity, genres and networks of exchanges in African diasporan musical formations.
SECTION B 2) Discuss, noting their complex grounding in historical, ideological, political, and economic
milieus, the place of soul music and funk in engendering unique capacities for intervention.
3) Analyze, mindful of each genre’s critical reference points and expressive dynamics, the
discourses of community, gender and social contestations in hip-hop and hip-hop feminism.
4) Discuss how interactions between Samba and Champeta with the dynamics of everyday life,
culture, identity and politics, in their respective societies, engender unique portals for resistance.
5) Examine, with nuances, how the confluences of religion, rituals and resistance, as charged
reference points, shape the unique features and expressive verve of Arrullo and Candomble.
6) Noting the respective contexts of their emergence outside dominant cultures, explore, with
subtleties, the intersection of social class, race, gender, stigmatization in reggae and reggaetón.
GOOD LUCK!
EXAM GRADING CRITERIA
‘A’ GRADE RANGE = 90% -100%
* Answered comprehensive aspects of the questions.
* Outstanding application of lectures and readings.
* Cited other relevant materials appropriately.
* Identified terms, issues and positions aptly.
* Clear, engaging, scholarly and logical discussions.
* Avoided pointless summaries of texts.
* Hardly any spelling or grammatical errors.
* No colloquialisms (slangs and informal language).
* Kept responses within specified page limits.
* No attempts to ‘stretch’ paper, unduly (through creative pagination, font sizes, etc).
‘B’ GRADE RANGE = 80% - 89%
* Answered most aspects of the questions.
* Average applications of lectures and readings.
* Cited other relevant materials unevenly.
* Identified terms, issues and positions aptly.
* Fairly clear, engaging, scholarly and logical discussions
* Had some pointless summaries of texts.
* Occasional spelling and grammatical errors.
* Few, if any, colloquialisms (slangs and informal language).
* Kept responses within specified page limits.
* Probable attempts to ‘stretch’ paper, unduly (through creative pagination, font sizes, etc).
‘C’ GRADE RANGE = 70% -79%
* Answered some aspects of the questions.
* Scant application of lectures and readings.
* Trivial use, if any, of other relevant materials.
* Misidentification of terms, issues and position.
* Lacked clear, engaging, scholarly and logical discussions.
* Indulgent and artless summaries of texts.
* Plentiful spelling and grammatical errors.
* Rife with colloquialisms (slangs and informal language).
* Resourceless use of specified page limits.
* Flagrant attempts to ‘stretch’ paper, (through creative pagination, font sizes, etc).
‘D’ GRADE= 60%-69%
* Gross deficiencies, in range and scope, of a ‘C’ paper.
‘F’ GRADE = 59% and below.
* Overwhelming attributes, in range and scope, of a ‘D’ paper.
NOTE: For finer differentiations, a plus (+) or minus (-) will be applied to passing grades, only.