Date
5-2021
Document Type
Capstone Project (Campus-Only Access)
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
Department
Music & Performing Arts
Major
Music
First Advisor
Lanier Sammons
Abstract
This paper explores the unfortunate reality of cultural appropriation and Western domination in modern popular music, and discusses the intricacies of the arguments surrounding such subjects. The legacy of white supremacy and colonization throughout the globe is analyzed in connection with cultural appropriation and diffusion in the context of Western musical evolution. Questions are raised about the philosophical and anthropological implications of “Western” music as a whole, and how historical power imbalances have led to biased views about all music outside of the Western musical canon. Moreover, discussions about how to avoid appropriation and approach multicultural musical collaborations are explored through various examples, including Paul Simon’s Graceland.
Recommended Citation
Colliard, Brianna, "Western Domination in Music: The Realities of Cultural Appropriation and the Harm Caused" (2021). Capstone Projects and Master's Theses. 1052.
https://digitalcommons.csumb.edu/caps_thes_all/1052