Soundin’ Canaan Explores How Aesthetic and Rhetoric Intertwine in Black Canadian Poetry
Description
This month we welcome Paul db Watkins, Professor of English at Vancouver Island University and author of Soundin’ Canaan: Black Canadian Poetry, Music, and Citizenship. His book looks at how Black Canadian poets are influenced by Black musical artists and song, and what this creative intersection reveals about multiculturalism and citizenship. In the next four episodes we discuss Paul’s research and writing process and the influence his work as a DJ had on his approach to the book. Further, we delve into the meaning of “sonic citizenship,” incorporating playlists and liner notes in an academic text, and the importance of decentering himself to write about Black literature, art, and culture.
In the first episode of this four-part series, Paul introduces us to the themes of Soundin’ Canaan. He first outlines the distinctive features of the aesthetic and rhetorical functions of poetry and music and how they intertwine and enhance one another. Next, he shares the background behind the book’s title, explaining the meaning of the term “Canaan” and how it connects to Black liberation and migration to Canada. Last, he reflects on the complexities of establishing a Black Canadian literary canon. While Paul acknowledges the value and significance of recognizing Black Canadian literary figures, he also resists the rigidity of canon formation, instead aiming “to draw attention to the power of Black voice and song in Canada.”
Missed an episode? Subscribe to our monthly newsletter, Choice Podcast Updates, and check out the Authority File Round-Up on our blog, Open Stacks!
United States
