Music seems to have extraordinary powers to set our bodies in motion, to shape our feelings, and to affect our thoughts. It is no surprise, then, that censors have worried about the corrosive or corrupting effects of music. Over the past century, most of the worry has centered on popular music, but the troubling popular music of the past (e.g. jazz, rock & roll) has come to be accepted and even celebrated, while newer genres (e.g. metal, rap) are now subject to scrutiny. Is bad music just whatever seems counter-cultural at a given time? Can we uncover alternate criteria for the kind of music that might be corrupting? Or should we oppose attempts at censorship and moral panics over music altogether?

This dinner seminar will be led by Dr. Dhananjay Jagannathan (Columbia). It is open to all undergraduates, graduate students, and recent graduates.