MS 190: Authorship is the course website for the Fall 2006 Media Studies senior seminar at Pomona College in Claremont, California.
Michael Barnes talk
Submitted by lrob on 28 November 2006 - 1:18am.
Thanks to those of you who came to the Michael Barnes talk today! What did you think? To be honest, he sort of bored me at the beginning with his discussion of sociological theorists...it just didn't seem all that dynamic or engaging...BUT I thought he was excellent when he talked about hip hop DJ culture. It was especially cool that he incorporated music and video clips into his talk (particularly the video clip he recorded at the DMC, which shows that he went to the competition and is really involved in hip hop culture on a personal level). I think he'd be great as a prof in an elective class on hip hop or any other subject he's really passionate about, but I think his intro theory courses might make some students fall asleep. But that's just me. Who knows...maybe I was just exhausted from my delayed cross-country flight last night.
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Hire him NOW
Not to disagree with you twice in one day, lrob, but I thought Barnes was incredible and we need to hire him on the spot! Having taken several music classes (including currently one called Sociology of Popular Music) I have NEVER seen or heard the type of integration of theory with practice that I heard in that talk. I have read Hebdige for class and never understood him on a broader theoretical level like I did today. I didn't find him dull really at any moment, and I'm willing to write the beginning off to jitters on his part. I would take any class he offered and only wish that we could hire him for next semester so that he could be a reader on my thesis. I'm sad to not be able to take advantage of him as a resource. I just think his patience and thoroughness would make him great for students. He's clearly passionate not just about his material, but about communicating it to others. I repeat, hire that man now!
Wow, I am glad I asked! :)
Wow, I am glad I asked! :) I must have just been tired at the beginning... but he did catch my attention toward the middle and I really enjoyed the 2nd half of the talk. You should also try to come to Devorah Heitner's talk (Hahn 108, 4:15 PM this Wednesday) so you can compare them... She's the last candidate visiting campus, and the committee will be meeting to discuss who to hire sometime next week.
Ok, so I had lunch with him
Ok, so I had lunch with him today, and I take back the things I said about him being boring. Today I really, really, really liked him. He's engaging, knowledgeable about all kinds of music, incredibly passionate about social issues... and I think he's genuinely interested in connecting with students. So yeah... two thumbs up for Michael Barnes.