critical patriotism in “the star-spangled banner” & “this land is your land” @ “music america: the sounds & songs that shaped us,” bruce springsteen center for american music, monmouth university, new jersey.
I will be speaking at the conference Music America: The Sounds and Songs That Shaped Us, taking place at the new Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music, Monmouth University, New Jersey, the morning of 17 October 2026. My talk focuses on “critical patriotism” in versions of “This Land Is Your Land” by Woody Guthrie and the “Star-Spangled Banner.” What is a national anthem, exactly? And what can it do, be, sound like, and feel like in times of cultural, political, and indeed spiritual challenge? For more about the talk, including the transcript, a video version, an extensive Spotify playlist, a YouTube playlist, and more, see my post, “Our Flag Was Still There.”