The release of the country album “Cowboy Carter” by Beyoncé this spring caused some surprising controversy.
Some complained Beyoncé, who is Black, shouldn’t be dabbling in what many consider a white music genre. At least one radio station in Oklahoma initially refused to play the album’s first single, “Texas Hold’em.”
Her supporters pointed out that Black Americans have a rich history in country music and cowboy culture. But the incident raised the issue of cultural appropriation: The stealing from one culture by another.
Some say that “imitation is the best form of flattery” and that cultures borrowing from each other only enriches us all. Others argue that while different cultures will always be inspired by and borrow elements from each other, there are times when borrowing crosses the line into theft.
Arguing in favour of the resolution is Monica Harris. She is a TEDx speaker, blogger, and author of The Illusion of Division. She is also Executive Director of the Foundation Against Intolerance & Racism, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization committed to bridging the ideological divide in America by focusing on shared values and interests.
Arguing against the resolution is Nadra Nittle. She is a reporter for The 19th News, and has also written for Vox.com, the Los Angeles News Group, and many others. Her books include “Toni Morrison’s Spiritual Vision” and “Recognizing Microaggressions.”
Free Munk Members can vote on who they think won this debate on our website, www.munkdebates.com
SOURCES: Beyonce
The host of this Munk Debates podcast is Ricki Gurwtiz
To sign up for a weekly email reminder for this podcast, send an email to podcast@munkdebates.com.
To support civil and substantive debate on the big questions of the day, consider becoming a Munk Member at https://munkdebates.com/membership
This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/
Senior Producer: Ricki Gurwitz
Producer: Daniel Kitts
Editor: Kieran Lynch
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations.
Crime Junkie
If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people.