Composing counterpublics: An analysis of affective musical ecologies of the 1960s

Abstract

Although scholars of rhetoric have long acknowledged the persuasive capabilities of music, music is often theorized about rather than through. By reconceptualizing music as a mode of discourse with agency, rhetoricians can better understand its ability to deeply impact society. Using three case studies of music genres from the 1960s, this thesis uses rhetorical analysis to demonstrate the ability of music to impact and stimulate publics and counterpublics through affective rhetorical ecologies of created discourse. The introductory chapter establishes the aims of the project, provides a review of existing literature on music rhetoric, public theory, and affective rhetorical ecologies as an extension of the standard rhetorical situation. Next, Chapter 2 provides a case study of the Harlem Cultural Festival’s role in unifying group identity through the collective experience of musical performance. Then, Chapter 3 uses DeChaine’s theory of embodied musical experience to present a case study of psychedelic rock’s ability to stimulate transcendence amongst strangers aligned in shared discourse. The final case study in Chapter 4 analyzes the complex rhetorical ecology of music both in support and opposition to the Vietnam War. The concluding chapter utilizes the case studies’ findings to argue for future scholarship acknowledging the rhetorical agency of music.