Sound, Music, Cultural Preservation, and Environmental Justice

MTH-215

This course explores the intersection of music, sound, climate change, and environmental justice. Drawing on acoustic ecology, soundscape studies, cultural preservation, and historical perspectives on environmental activism, students will examine how sound can communicate the impacts of climate change and inspire action, while emphasizing the documentation of stories, soundscapes, and narratives of those displaced by environmental crises. The course addresses how climate change disproportionately affects marginalized communities, and investigates the role of music in advocating for environmental justice and fostering community resilience. Studying projects by musicians, cultural custodians, and researchers involved in the connection between music and environment, students will learn how humans record, disseminate, and promote understanding of different aspects of the environment. Through fieldwork, historical readings, and project-based learning, students will design sound-based interventions that engage with environmental movements and/or highlight narratives of communities facing environmental displacement and migration, emphasizing ethical collaboration and preserving cultural legacies. 

Credits
2
Prerequisites
None
Required Of
None
Electable By
All
Major Elective for
Music Therapy
Semesters Offered
Fall, Spring
Location
Boston
Department
MTHE
Course Chair
Joy Allen
Courses may not be offered at the listed locations or taught by the listed faculty for every semester. Consult my.berklee.edu(Opens in a new window) to find course information for a specific semester.