Emily Mellen

Postdoctoral Fellow

I am a musicologist who studies the intersection of music and politics, particularly through the case study of Radio Bari (a propaganda radio station of the Fascist Italian state that broadcasted in Arabic towards the Middle East & North Africa from 1934-1943). My research has brought up big questions for me, such as questions about the ethics of music and how this varies from circumstance to circumstance. I bring these questions to the Engagements because they are a place to ask big questions that cross the boundaries of traditional academic departments. I aim to use my background in analysis of sound and music, knowledge of theories of fascism, colonialism, and anti-colonialism, as well as studies of radio and media more broadly, to give students tools to analyze these and other questions that interest them. I’m also interested in alternative forms of scholarly production. This means that my classes may reflect on and produce traditional scholarly articles and essays, as well as blog posts, poetry, podcasts, film, and more. Furthermore, I value collaboration and openness to student input in my classes, as I believe that education is something that we build together.