Shawn Young

Areas of Interest

• Music Studies
• Religion and American culture
• Post-World War II Political History
• Semiotics
• Counterculture

Biography

Shawn David Young is a Ph.D. candidate in the American Studies program at Michigan State University. He holds the M.A. in American culture studies from Washington University, St. Louis and the B.S. in music industry studies from Appalachian State University, Boone, NC. Specifically, his research deals with the intersections of 20th Century evangelicalism, 20th Century countercultural expression, and popular music. He is currently working with Dr. David Stowe in researching the evolution of music and political theory as applied to apocalyptic fundamentalism within the contemporary Christian music youth culture, and its alignment with the religious right. Selected publications include writings on dystopian communities and rock history in ABC-CLIO's World History Encyclopedia, and chapters in a forthcoming book on 9/11 and popular culture with Greenwood Press. He is the area chair for subculture with the Midwest Popular Culture Association / American Culture Association and co-chair for the areas of Baby-Boomer culture and The Sixties, with the National Popular Culture Association and American Culture Association.

Young and his family spent five years in Greenville, Illinois, where he taught contemporary music studies at a small liberal arts college.