SPCH 214: ISSUES IN PUBLIC ADDRESS
THE RHETORIC OF REGGAE MUSIC

Alfred C. Snider, Associate Professor
Office: 475 Main Street Room 103, 656-0097, 238-8345, asnider@zoo.uvm.edu
Box 54225, UVM, Burlington, VT 05405-4225

Spring, 2002
Class: Tuesdays & Thursdays 11:00 AM-12:15 PM, Lafayette 403

The purpose of this course is to examine the origins, characteristics, social phenomena, and messages to be found in an African-Caribbean musical form known as reggae music. Reggae music will be examined as a rhetorical movement and as a social movement. The province of rhetoric is to evaluate, criticize, and advocate. Reggae music does all of these.

Because the cultural setting of reggae may be different from our own, it will be necessary for us to study the history and background of the African Diaspora, the history and background of Jamaica, and the forms of expression used in reggae music. While we may not be capable of a full understanding of this music and culture, we will try to learn and appreciate it as best we can.
This course represents a very serious and scholarly examination of this material. Students who are interested in an easy three credits would best look elsewhere. Any stereotype that “reggae = slack” must be abandoned in order for this class to work for all of us.

READINGS & RESOURCES:
Two required books, each of them fairly inexpensive. Both are available at the UVM bookstore.
• Barrett, THE RASTAFARIANS
• Barrow & Dalton, REGGAE: THE ROUGH GUIDE
There are also a number of readings available on reserve in the library. A list of them will be distributed later.
The instructor will also be providing access to a comprehensive password protected website of text and multimedia materials.
You will be encouraged to buy, download or acquire reggae music for listening and study during the semester. Your choices should reflect your interests and/or the content of your paper.
A companion public website has been created for this course. It contains course materials as well as links to other reggae research sites. The URL is: http://debate.uvm.edu/rhetreggae.html

REQUIREMENTS:
YOU MUST DO ALL THREE OF THESE ASSIGNMENTS TO PASS THIS COURSE:
PARTICIPATE: This implies that you come to class, are familiar with the material being discussed, and volunteer opinions and perceptions actively. This participation must involve a discussion group. You will attend a 50 minute discussion group each week led by a TA. Discussion group sign-ups will take place next week. Students must also join the email list by emailing a message to: listproc@list.uvm.edu. The message must read: subscribe rasta Firstname Lastname. (one third of grade)
WRITE A RESEARCH PAPER: You will write a 15-20 page paper on a topic which you and the instructor agree on. A paper proposal will be due during the semester and handed in as a final paper at the end of the semester. You must submit your paper electronically, either on a diskette or as an email attachment. You must use Word or else submit it as an .rtf document. This electronic word processing document assumes basic literacy. A paper that fails to meet basic standards for college level work will be rejected. (one third of grade)
JOURNAL: You will keep a weekly journal of your activities related to this course. In it you will keep track of your progress through the readings, your reactions to the videos we will see, reports on your music appreciation activities, your reaction to your discussion group, and other related events. This journal will be examined every few weeks by the TA of your discussion group. (one third of grade)

EVALUATION
Students will be evaluated on the basis of earned points only. There will be no extra credit work available. Each assignment has a basic point value (adding up to 100) of which students will be awarded a portion based on the quality of their work. Point values are: paper 33, journal 33, class participation 33, registering 1.
Students should be aware of the University policies on academic honesty.

OUTSIDE OF CLASS
Students should feel free to meet with the instructor during office hours or at times that can be mutually agreed on. The Teaching Assistants will also be available to meet with you. Feel free to ask for explanations of assignments, class material, grading, or anything else that might be of interest. The goal is to develop a friendly working relationship with each student in this class.

CONCLUSION
This is a tentative syllabus and may be revised. A day-to-day schedule of events and assignments will be provided.

HOME PAGE:
http://debate.uvm.edu/rhetreggae.html

CLASS EMAIL LISTSERV:
Send an email message to:
listproc@list.uvm.edu
The message must read:
subscribe rasta firstname lastname
You may also subscribe and unsubscribe at:
http://list.uvm.edu/archives/rasta.html