Research issues and ideas

Here is an attempt at revising my thesis/research question, for those of you interested in where I am coming from:

I am researching the African American culture surrounding Detroit electronic music. This includes the history of techno and house music in Detroit, the people who first began to make this music, and the music that inspired its creation. More than this, my research addresses the present state of Detroit electronic music in Detroit, and, to a lesser degree, its impact around the world. Therefore, my fundamental theme of inquiry is the following, how do DJs and fans construct an African American identity for Detroit electronic music? In making claims for the African American identity of this music, spacio-temporal elements are key. Who is making the claim and where/when are they situated? In order to investigate this research objective, I plan to engage phenomenology and performance theory as a means of analyzing the production, circulation, and reception of this music by DJs, fans, and other people involved in the electronic music “scene” in Detroit. Experience and consciousness of the music in the context of time and place will be important elements in my ethnographic research with DJs and fans.

Definitely a work in progress!