The course introduces students to the study of rembetiko song, examining its origins, historical development, and major periods. It explores rembetiko as a significant cultural expression of the popular social classes and as an important source for understanding aspects of modern Greek history.

After the successful completion of the course, students are expected to:

•    recognize the unique value of rembetiko songs both as cultural products of the popular classes and as historical documents of modern Greek history; 
•    identify the relationship between historical events and rembetiko song, and understand how its creators perceived and represented these events through their music; 
•    critically examine the impact of historical developments on both the evolution and thematic content of rembetiko songs; 
•    interpret and evaluate the criticism directed at rembetiko by a significant part of the urban intelligentsia during the Interwar period