| The Matrix | Rhetoric of Reggae Music | Reggae Links | Dread Library Catalog |
There is s real shortage of academically oriented literature about reggae music and its various social, political, and religious manifestations. Many of the best resources are out of print, hard to find, or not held in most libraries. This was a real challenge for my students in Speech 214: The Rhetoric of Reggae Music when they went to write their term papers.
We decided to light a candle as opposed to just cursing the darkness, so we thought that students who were interested could post their papers in HTML in a DREAD LIBRARY so that others seeking information could benefit from the work they have already done.
Here is a selection of papers. I appreciate the extra work that these students did to get these papers web ready. They are offered as undergraduate essays. I have not checked the references nor engaged in active rewrites of these papers, because this is not intended to be a collection of refereed, publishable, scholarly articles, but a sample of what some students of reggae have been writing. However, I do suggest you study the references so that you can try and find and read these primary works on your own.
We understand that everyone may not agree with what is being said here, and encourage your comments and suggestions, but it is important to remember that there is no one true perspective on most of these issues. Reggae music, rastafarianism, and related topics are not singular fields -- there are many reggae musics, many brands of rastafarianism, and many different perspectives expressed by those involved.
There is no doubt that these essay have been written by American college students, not by experts or those with broad personal experience. However, they do represent their researched expertise and their personal experience. We hope you will read them with that in mind.
The
Power and Influence of the Obeah Man and Folk Healing in Jamaican Culture, Cassandra
PerroneNeocolonialism
in Jamaica: History, Practices, and Resistance, Dori BorelliA
Look Into Kingston, Andrew WeaderhornRural
Paradise or Concrete Jungle, Stefanie FolkTrapped
in a Dualistic Cycle, Emily Baldauf-WagnerRastafari
Culture: the Extreme Ethiopian Rasta vs, the Mellow Dallas Rasta, William Grant"I
Light and I Salvation": The Rise and Impact of Radstafarianism in Jamaican
Culture and Politics, Jeff PhilieGarveyism
and Rastafarianism: a closer look, Gabe VastolaThe
Influence of Bob Marley's Absent, White Father, Scott GurtmanWomen's
Fashions in Jamaican Dancehalls, Susan D'Elia
Rude
Boy Music in Comparison with Gangster Rap, Kevin McElweeHip-Hop
and Reggae: the Common Links of Politics and Music, Scott CarlisWomen's
Fashions in Jamaican Dancehalls, Susan D'EliaBuju
Banton: Unchained Spirit, Adam UllianMarcia
Griffiths: Reggae Queen? Jamie O'Brien