Universiteit Leiden

nl en

Academy of Creative and Performing Arts (ACPA)

MOOC: The Importance and Power of Music in our Society

Free online course The Importance and Power of Music in our Society

A short introduction

Due to the selected cookie settings, we cannot show this video here.

Watch the video on the original website or

The MOOC The Importance and Power of Music in our Society gives a thorough introduction to the different ways music and society are interconnected. Discussed is a.o. the role, function and status of music in society and the influence of music on social, political, economic, technological and many other developments. Interesting lectures and interviews (for example with Daniel Barenboim, Ton Koopman and Louis Andriessen), challenging assignments, engaging articles and of course many musical examples provide more insight into where, how and why we listen to music, how music gives form to one's identity and what effect music has on our values. Possibilities to embed the MOOC in ACPA’s regular education are now being looked into.

Prof. dr. Marcel Cobussen

Marcel Cobussen is Professor of Auditory Culture and Music Philosophy at Leiden University (the Netherlands). He works at the Academy of Creative and Performing Arts (ACPA) and is specialized in supervising PhD students in Artistic Research. 

Dr. Hafez Ismaïli M’hamdi

Hafez Ismaïli M’hamdi is lecturer at Leiden University and received his doctorate in ethics at the Erasmus University Medical Center. He teaches classes on philosophy of music and music and society. 

About Coursera

Coursera partners with over 120 top universities and educational institutions to offer hundreds of online courses and Specializations in topics from computer science to social psychology and beyond. Earn certificates from prestigious learning institutions for courses and projects developed in collaboration with top employers that teach the skills you need to succeed. Whether you want to advance your career or pursue a passion, Coursera provides open online education for everyone. For more information, visit www.coursera.org.

This website uses cookies.  More information.