Music and Social Change The Gezi Park Protests in Istanbul PDF

HMU359 The Power and Role of Popular Music in the Middle East SINEM EYLEM ARSLAN University Of Toronto  03 Objectives 1. Examine the role of popular music in the West and in Middle Eastern society as a means...

HMU359 The Power and Role of Popular Music in the Middle East SINEM EYLEM ARSLAN University Of Toronto  03 Objectives 1. Examine the role of popular music in the West and in Middle Eastern society as a means of cultural expression, identity formation, and resistance. 2. Analyze how artists from the Middle East and its diaspora address themes of dual identity, nationalism, and belonging through multilingual lyrics and cultural symbols. 3. Identify how artists use music to address social issues like gender roles, LGBTQ+ representation, and post-colonial identity in ways that resonate with diverse audiences. 4. Observe how Middle Eastern artists integrate traditional sounds with contemporary music styles, creating unique expressions that appeal both locally and globally. 5. Examine how music serves as a platform for political protest, revolution, and empowerment, especially in contexts of social and political struggle.  03 /Question 1: Popular Music as an Alternative Space for Societal Debate How has popular music in the West served as a platform for debating social issues that might not be openly discussed in mainstream media? Can you think of examples where artists used music to address controversial topics?  03 /Question 2: The Influence of New Media and Globalization on Music In what ways has new media (such as social media or music video platforms) changed the style, accessibility, and even the sound of popular music in the West?  03 /Question 3: Gender and Sexuality in Popular Music: Controversy and Transformation How has the portrayal of gender and sexuality in Western popular music evolved over time? Can you think of artists who have challenged societal norms about femininity or masculinity, and how have these portrayals sparked public debate or backlash?  03 /Question 4: Political Expression and Public Engagement Through Music Have there been music shows or events in the West that allowed the public to participate in ways that felt more democratic or empowering? How does public voting or participation in music-related media provide an outlet for people to express themselves beyond the entertainment industry?  03 /Question 5: Music as a Tool for Identity and Solidarity How have certain songs or artists in Western music helped create a sense of shared identity or solidarity, either nationally or internationally? Can you think of examples where music has united people across different backgrounds around common causes or sentiments?  03 /Question 6: Music and Social Transformation in Public Consciousness Can you think of instances where music in the West has shifted societal norms or influenced people’s views on identity, gender, or power?  03 But why Popular Music? Popular music as cultural expression, resistance, identity formation Reflects social, political, economic realities Bridge across generations and communities Middle Eastern music addresses social issues, taboos A voice for the voiceless – identity, resistance, diaspora International platform fosters global understanding  03 Umm Kulthum - “Enta Omri”: Gender and Emotional Expression “Enta Omri” (You Are My Life)– Expresses love, longing, resilience Umm Khultum: Influential female musician, cultural icon in Egypt Reflection: Emotional expression and influence in Middle Eastern music Fairuz - “Li Beirut”: War, Loss, and National Identity National Pride and Mourning “Li Beirut” – Sorrow, resilience amid war Symbol of Lebanon – Reflects collective trauma, pride Music as healing, memory  03 Saint Levant - “Nails”: Identity and Diaspora Theme: Dual Identity and Belonging Song: “Nails” – Navigates Arabic, Western identities Multilingualism – Expresses belonging, bridging cultures Reflection on identity in diaspora  03 The Halluci Nation - “R.E.D.” ft. Yasiin Bey, Narcy & Black Bear: Resistance to Colonization Theme: Post-Colonial Identity, Pride in Heritage Song: “R.E.D.” – Solidarity between Indigenous, Arab communities Post-colonial narrative – Resistance, shared history Music unifying voices across struggles  03 DAM ft. Ms Daws - “JASADIK-HOM”: Body and Politics Theme: Body as Site of Protest Song: “JASADIK-HOM” – Body as survival, protest Palestinian hip-hop – DAM articulates struggle, resilience Embodied resistance – Political nature of the body  03 Omar Souleyman - “Warni Warni”: Traditional Music Meets Global Pop Culture Theme: Fusion of Tradition and Modernity Song: “Warni Warni” – Dabke rhythms with electronic beats Adaptability of traditional music in global scene Cultural preservation in a modernized framework  03 Emel Mathlouthi - “Kelmti Hora”: Revolution and Empowerment Theme: Revolution, Freedom, Political Protest Song: “Kelmti Hora” – Anthem of Arab Spring Resonates across Middle East, spirit of empowerment Music as unifying voice of change  03 Saint Levant – “Deira”: Youth, Hope, and Palestinian Struggle "Deira" – Blends Arabic and English, combining traditional Palestinian musical elements with contemporary beats. Symbolizes the complex identity of Palestinian youth balancing heritage with global influences. Reflects resilience and optimism in a landscape shaped by struggle.  03 Wrap-Up Discussion: Music as a Mirror of Society Popular music reflects societal struggles, joys, identities Cross-section of themes – Identity, Resistance, Expression Diversity of regional music themes Platform for Middle Eastern voices in a global context 01 HMU359 Queer and Gendered Representations in Music and Dance SINEM EYLEM ARSLAN University Of Toronto  03 03 Objectives 1. Understand how sexuality and gender are socially constructed and regulated in Middle Eastern contexts. 2. Learn key theories, including: Foucault’s concept of sexuality as a social construct, Butler’s idea of gender performativity, Disidentification, queer phenomenology, communitas, and hegemonic masculinity 3. Analyze how Middle Eastern artists use music and dance to express, challenge, or navigate gender norms. 4. Identify examples of queer and gendered representations in music and dance and explore how they enable self-expression, resistance, and solidarity. Three genders Men of Ottoman Boys/young men and Qajar Worlds Women Ottoman male sexual relations Status defined homosexuality The poet Figani with a young cupbearer. Ottoman miniature painting from an illustrated volume of a copy of Senses of Poets (‫مشاعر الشعراء‬ Meşairü’ş-Şuara, 1568) by Aşık Çelebi. Istanbul, Millet Yazma Eser Kütüphanesi, Ali Emiri Collection, TR 772, fol. 534a. Source: https://www.historyworkshop.org.uk/ missing-voices-in-the-age-of-the- beloveds-ottoman-same-sex- intimacy/ Küçek Ottoman professional boy dancers Often dressed in female-coded clothing (Čoček genre in Balkan music) Bachcheh-raqqas Boy dancer Here, dressed in female-coded clothes Also called zan-push (wearer of women’s clothing) Sexual anxieties of modernity 19th c. encounters with Christian Europeans The disapproving Western gaze, re- evaluation of local sexualities Male-female romantic love as ideal  03 03 Queer-like Expressions in Dance Forms Michel Foucault, The History of Sexuality: Argues that sexuality is not a private, innate quality but a social construct Judith Butler, Gender Trouble: Gender as performative – an act we “do,” not an innate quality. Gender fluidity as resistance; challenges rigid gender norms by embodying femininity within a traditionally accepted art form.  03 03 Egyptian Raqs Baladi: 'Effeminate' male dancers challenge gender norms  03 03 Transgressive Spaces and Gender Play Sara Ahmed: 'Queer Phenomenology' – reorienting norms in public music. Erving Goffman: Performing gender ambiguity to challenge expectations.  03 03 Mashrou’ Leila: LGBTQ+ themes and cultural critique  03 03 Turkish Zenne Dancers: Blending masculine and feminine traits in performance Erving Goffman’s Presentation of Self in Everyday Life  03 03 Case Study: Turkish Arabesk Laura Mulvey: Female gaze in queer iconography Raewyn Connell: Vulnerable masculinity in Turkish Arabesk Turkish Arabesk: Subverting hegemonic masculinity through vulnerability QUEER MASCULINITY NATIONAL BELONGING Zeki Müren: “The General” 1. Radio star and recording artist 2. Musician actor in melodramas 3. Flamboyant Gazino Star 4. Queer State Artist “AH BU SARKILARIN GOZU KOR OLSUN!” (OH, DAMN THESE SONGS) “Entering the hearts filled with sorrow, Here I am, Zeki Müren.” "The one who stands up to the TOMAs, That's my Zeki Müren.” “We are soldiers of Zeki Muren” I asked Zeki Muren, He said ”Resist”!  03 03 Conclusion Identity negotiation and cultural adaptation. Frantz Fanon: Navigating identity in restrictive societies. Music and dance as stages for self-expression and resistance. 16 HMU359 Next Week: Reading Week!! HMU359 Music and Social Change: The Gezi Park Protests in Istanbul SINEM EYLEM ARSLAN University Of Toronto  03 Objectives 1. Understand the historical and social context of the Gezi Park protests and their significance. 2. Analyze the role of soundscapes in fostering community and resistance during the protests. 3. Explore music as a medium for expressing collective identity, defiance, and solidarity. 4. Assess the digital and global dissemination of protest sounds and their influence on solidarity movements. 5. Critically examine how music and sound shaped the interaction between public space and political power. I. Introduction Contextual Background Planned demolition of Gezi Park for urban redevelopment Proposal to construct Ottoman- style barracks and shopping mall Environmentalist concerns over loss of green space Frustration with government’s authoritarianism Broader dissatisfaction with Erdoğan’s policies Defense of secular and public spaces How It All Started May 27, 2013: Small sit-in by environmental activists in Gezi Park, Istanbul. Protest against plans to replace the park with a commercial development. May 31, 2013: Police forcibly remove protesters using tear gas and water cannons. Sparked widespread outrage and larger demonstrations across Turkey. A Snowball of Other Reasons 1. Democratic Backsliding 4. Erosion of Secularism Erosion of Judicial Independence Increased Religious Influence in Education Crackdown on Press Freedom Islamization of Public Life Weakening of Parliamentary Power 5. Foreign Policy Failures 2. Human Rights Violations Isolation on the Global Stage Suppression of Dissent Military Interventions Mass Purges After the 2016 Coup Exacerbating Refugee Issues Attempt 6. Environmental and Urban Mismanagement Kurdish Repression Destruction of Natural Resources 3. Economic Mismanagement Urban Overdevelopment High Inflation and Currency Crisis 7. Polarization and Authoritarianism Rising Unemployment and Inequality Deepened Social Divisions Cronyism and Corruption Authoritarian Governance  03 II. Soundscapes of Protest Protest as a Sonic Environment Auditory landscape, not just visual spectacle of banners and gathering Chants and Slogans Police Sirens and Gas Canisters Everyday Objects as Instruments of Protest Cacerolazo (“Saucepan”) Believed to have originated in Chile during the early 1970s. Symbolizes grassroots resistance Accessible to all socioeconomic groups Peaceful protest Sense of Community through Sound Collective Participation: Fostering a sense of inclusion; shared struggle and solidarity Emotional Resonance: Heightening emotions and emotional responses that bond individuals Temporal Markers: Providing a rhythm for the protests; helped coordinate collective action Cultural Identity: Carrying cultural significance and recognition that strengthened the community’s identity  03 III. Music and Identity: Soundtracks of Gezi Genres and Songs Central to the Movement Song as Protest Symbol: “Pots and Pans” by Kardeş Türküler Voice Beyond Sound Symbolic Agency: Written text, body language, or artistic creation Metaphorical Agency: Goes beyond verbal communication Emotional Resonance: Collective consciousness /What do you hear?  03 IV. Digital Soundscapes and Globalization Role of Social Media in Amplifying Protest Soundscapes: “Everyday I’m Çapulling” Role of Social Media in Amplifying Protest Soundscapes: “Everyday I’m Çapulling” Gezi Park Music’s Reach Beyond Turkey  03 V. Conclusion Sound and Spatial Politics in Istanbul Reclaiming Public Spaces Through Sound Creation of Temporary Autonomous Zones Chants and Slogans: “Her Yer Taksim, Her Music as Resistance: Performances of Yer Direniş” (Everywhere is Taksim, protest songs, drumming circles, and Everywhere is Resistance) impromptu concerts. Improvised Noise: Impossible to ignore the Sound and Inclusivity: Diverse sonic movement expressions creating a pluralistic soundscape Subverting Surveillance and Control Dynamic Sound Movements: Coordinate Disrupting Authoritarian Narratives movements, warn of police activity, and Auditory Disruption of State Symbols: create a sense of unpredictability Drowned out official speeches Nighttime Pot-Banging: The nightly Protest Anthems: Directly mocking the cacerolazo (banging pots and pans) government’s derogatory term for protesters extended the soundscape beyond Gezi Park (çapulcu or “looters”). Government Reactions to Protest Music and Sounds Censorship of Songs and Artists Targeting artists and blocking Performances Police Crackdowns on Protest Sounds Criminalizing protests sounds through stricter noise regulations State-Controlled Media Suppression Blackout on protest-related music and repression on Independent media  03 Thank you!