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Christian Rock Goes Mainstream: Youth Culture, Politics and Popular Music in the U.S.
- Date Issued:
- 2007
- Summary:
- The dissertation analyzes Christian rock that goes mainstream and aims to explain such a phenomenon within the contemporary cultural, social and political context. This cultural study acknowledges the inherent tendency of Christian rock “to cross over” as part of the Evangelical ideology in which it is rooted. It also views it as a symptom of the augmented power of conservative Evangelical groups in today’s American political and social climate and of the current, increased presence of discourses around religion and, specifically, Christianity in the public arena. Hence, the research offers an historical understanding of the social, cultural and discursive changes that have occurred within American Christianity in relation to politics, society and culture since Christian rock’s first appearance as an expression of the Jesus People movement of the 1970s, with the aim of better comprehending the nature of the contemporary crossover phenomenon. Additionally, the study considers rock as a discursive formation, interprets Christian rock as a primarily countercultural phenomenon and addresses the questions its crossover poses. Thus, it explores dimensions and issues highly debated in cultural studies concerning authenticity, resistance, generic labeling, lyrical content, pleasure, and experience. Specifically, it looks at Christian rock “fragments” as receptacles for a multitude of meanings that are constantly negotiated in public discourses. The research finally examines the music industry (marketing strategies, publications, distribution deals, and so forth) in relation to these phenomena, and reports on the interviews with emerging crossover Christian rock bands and other people operating in the industry. By investigating it as part of the larger endeavor of Evangelicals to impact and transform American culture and society, it is illustrated how Christian rock is able today to provide an alternative version of popular music to their own young people and to reach non-believers as well; this suggests further research and, specifically, the necessity of audience analysis, and concomitantly raises thought-provoking questions related to cultural theory. The study also demonstrates how Christian rock, an apparently oxymoronic manifestation of rock culture, is actually reproducing its very logic, thus catalyzing cultural change and symptomatically reflecting neoconservative cultural hegemony and ultimately supporting an emerging definition of rock.
Title: | Christian Rock Goes Mainstream: Youth Culture, Politics and Popular Music in the U.S. |
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Name(s): |
Giagnoni, Silvia Scodari, Christine, Thesis advisor Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor |
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Type of Resource: | text | |
Genre: | Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation | |
Date Created: | 2007 | |
Date Issued: | 2007 | |
Publisher: | Florida Atlantic University | |
Place of Publication: | Boca Raton, Fla. | |
Physical Form: | application/pdf | |
Extent: | 386 p. | |
Language(s): | English | |
Summary: | The dissertation analyzes Christian rock that goes mainstream and aims to explain such a phenomenon within the contemporary cultural, social and political context. This cultural study acknowledges the inherent tendency of Christian rock “to cross over” as part of the Evangelical ideology in which it is rooted. It also views it as a symptom of the augmented power of conservative Evangelical groups in today’s American political and social climate and of the current, increased presence of discourses around religion and, specifically, Christianity in the public arena. Hence, the research offers an historical understanding of the social, cultural and discursive changes that have occurred within American Christianity in relation to politics, society and culture since Christian rock’s first appearance as an expression of the Jesus People movement of the 1970s, with the aim of better comprehending the nature of the contemporary crossover phenomenon. Additionally, the study considers rock as a discursive formation, interprets Christian rock as a primarily countercultural phenomenon and addresses the questions its crossover poses. Thus, it explores dimensions and issues highly debated in cultural studies concerning authenticity, resistance, generic labeling, lyrical content, pleasure, and experience. Specifically, it looks at Christian rock “fragments” as receptacles for a multitude of meanings that are constantly negotiated in public discourses. The research finally examines the music industry (marketing strategies, publications, distribution deals, and so forth) in relation to these phenomena, and reports on the interviews with emerging crossover Christian rock bands and other people operating in the industry. By investigating it as part of the larger endeavor of Evangelicals to impact and transform American culture and society, it is illustrated how Christian rock is able today to provide an alternative version of popular music to their own young people and to reach non-believers as well; this suggests further research and, specifically, the necessity of audience analysis, and concomitantly raises thought-provoking questions related to cultural theory. The study also demonstrates how Christian rock, an apparently oxymoronic manifestation of rock culture, is actually reproducing its very logic, thus catalyzing cultural change and symptomatically reflecting neoconservative cultural hegemony and ultimately supporting an emerging definition of rock. | |
Identifier: | FA00000981 (IID) | |
Degree granted: | Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2007. | |
Collection: | FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection | |
Note(s): | Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters | |
Subject(s): |
Contemporary Christian music--United States Popular culture--Religious aspects Popular music--United States--History and criticism Rock music--Political aspects Popular music--Social aspects Christian rock music--History and criticism |
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Held by: | Florida Atlantic University Libraries | |
Sublocation: | Digital Library | |
Persistent Link to This Record: | http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00000981 | |
Use and Reproduction: | Copyright © is held by the author with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder. | |
Use and Reproduction: | http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ | |
Host Institution: | FAU | |
Is Part of Series: | Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections. |