Syracuse University SURFACE Dissertations - ALL SURFACE August 2016 “Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans?” The use of popular music after Hurricane Katrina Jennifer Billinson Syracuse University Follow this and additional works at: https://surface.syr.edu/etd Part of the Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons Recommended Citation Billinson, Jennifer, "“Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans?” The use of popular music after Hurricane Katrina" (2016). Dissertations - ALL. 650. https://surface.syr.edu/etd/650 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the SURFACE at SURFACE. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations - ALL by an authorized administrator of SURFACE. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. Abstract This single-case study explores the use of popular music in response to the destruction of New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina in August, 2005. Using research in sociology of disaster and uses and gratifications theory in mass communication, data collected included original music written in response to the hurricane, major benefit concerts that aired in the wake, and re-appropriated music that developed new meaning when used in conjunction to the case. Analysis yielded that popular music was used to raise awareness, raise funds, and express emotion following the disaster. Common themes throughout include the impact of genre on how this was accomplished and the messages it yielded, the power of collective effervescence, and the importance of space and place when dealing with tragedy through music. ‘DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO MISS NEW ORLEANS?’ THE USE OF POPULAR MUSIC AFTER HURRICANE KATRINA by Jennifer Billinson B.A., Indiana University, 2006 M.A., Syracuse University, 2009 Dissertation Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Mass Communications Syracuse University August 2016 Copyright © Jennifer Billinson 2016 All Rights Reserved Table of Contents Chapter 1: Introduction p.