By Karen Chambless

Dr. Arlie Tagayuna, an assistant professor of sociology at Lee, and Devonte Coleman, a senior sociology major, recently presented research at the 2015 meeting of the Southern Sociological Society (SSS). The meeting took place in New Orleans on March 25-28.

Their presentation, titled “From Rap to Lap: A Discourse Analysis of Rap Music in the Promotion of Sex Trafficking,” explored how the burgeoning of contemporary rap music facilitates a culture of sexual exploitation of women, particularly in the field of sex trafficking.

“I think this is a prime example of student-professor collaboration,” said Tagayuna. “I always come to the table with my students knowing that they can be experts on something, and I could learn more in the process.”

Tagayuna and Coleman’s research delved into a discourse analysis of 150 rap songs from 1998 to 2014 in seeking a grounded theory from lyrics and its presentation in music television. According to their research, since rap music’s creation in the late 1980s, themes and subjects of most of the lyrics have now shifted to social deviance and crime.

The project sought to answer the question, “How does rap music facilitate the promotion of sex trafficking?” Furthermore, the analysis ventured into the subliminal mechanisms of different ways women are presented in the media and how these intersect with race and social class.

“This project was engineered with Devonte’s expertise in rap music and my interest in human trafficking,” said Tagayuna. “I firmly believe that pedagogical practice can be rewarding if you are able to motivate students in active learning.”

For more information about Lee’s sociology program, contact the Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences at (423) 614-8125.