Cumbia: Music, Difference, and Circulation in the Americas

4 credits · Undergraduate

Cumbia is a music found throughout the American continent. Though particular types of cumbia are found in most countries, they differ musically and contextually. This class focuses on local cumbia practices in and outside the Americas. Tracing its musical similarities and differences, as well as the circulation networks through which it has spread, the class disentangles cumbia’s convoluted genealogy and considers its many manifestations within their geopolitical backdrop. Along the way, it also offers an overview of relevant sociopolitical issues in 20th and 21st century Latin America.