ETDs

This collection includes most of the ASU Theses and Dissertations from 2011 to present. ASU Theses and Dissertations are available in downloadable PDF format; however, a small percentage of items are under embargo. Information about the dissertations/theses includes degree information, committee members, an abstract, supporting data or media.

In addition to the electronic theses found in the ASU Digital Repository, ASU Theses and Dissertations can be found in the ASU Library Catalog.

Dissertations and Theses granted by Arizona State University are archived and made available through a joint effort of the ASU Graduate College and the ASU Libraries. For more information or questions about this collection contact or visit the Digital Repository ETD Library Guide or contact the ASU Graduate College at gradformat@asu.edu.

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Indigenizing Country: Indigenous Women and Stories in Country Music

Description
In recent years, several Indigenous female artists have emerged in country music. Given that country music is closely associated with whiteness, it may seem an unexpected form of expression for Indigenous women. So, why and how do Indigenous women make country music? I argue that country music appeals to these…

In recent years, several Indigenous female artists have emerged in country music. Given that country music is closely associated with whiteness, it may seem an unexpected form of expression for Indigenous women. So, why and how do Indigenous women make country music? I argue that country music appeals to these women due to its adaptability as a genre and its propensity for telling stories. Additionally, I identify several distinct strategies that these women use to interact with the genre and approach their own music making. I support my argument through a series of analyses of three country songs by Indigenous female country singers: “All I See is Red (Ten Little Indians)” by Kelly Derrickson; “Pray Sister Pray” by Crystal Shawanda; and “Run Carly Run” by Jade Turner. Some of the strategies these artists employ disrupt norms of the genre, foregrounding these women’s Indigenous identity and activism, while other strategies more subtly exploit resonances between Indigenous concerns or cultural practices and aspects of country music to assert their position within the genre. My discussion of these strategies draws on theorizations of intertextuality, interdiscursivity, and positionality from linguistic anthropology. Examining the strategies Indigenous artists use and highlighting the agency they have in the creation of their music reveals not only how they take up the genre but also how they are reshaping it.
ContributorsBaril, Alexis (Author) / Fossum, Dave (Thesis advisor) / Norton, Kay (Committee member) / Reed, Trevor (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2023