The Reggae Studies Unit was created based on recognition of the influence of Reggae music on both Jamaican and world cultures. The mandate of the Reggae Studies Unit is to:

1. increase reggae-related research and teaching in diverse areas such as Film Studies, Musicology and Dance in the Faculty of Humanities.
2. establish a Specialist Documentation Centre containing various resources relative to the culture of Reggae music.
3. create partnerships with local and international institutions to promote Reggae Studies.
4. sponsor or cosponsor seminars, conferences, public lectures etc., and assist with the publication of research findings that support its mission. 

One key activity of the RSU is the Annual Bob Marley Lecture.   Named in honour of Jamaica’s most famed cultural ambassador, the Annual Bob Marley Lecture was first hosted in 1997 under the auspices of the Reggae Studies Unit at the UWI, Mona during the month of February in which the birth date of Jamaican cultural icon and legend, Bob Marley is celebrated.  The Annual Bob Marley Lectures are currently hosted by the Institute of Caribbean Studies/Reggae Studies Unit at the UWI, Mona, in collaboration with the Bob Marley Foundation.  Since their inception, the Annual Bob Marley Lectures were designed to honour and celebrate the contributions of Bob Marley and his music and legacy and also to highlight issues around Jamaican popular music and culture.  As such, the Annual Bob Marley Lectures focus on a diverse range of issues around Bob Marley’s life and work, reggae music, and Jamaican music and culture from a range of academic disciplines and popular standpoints.

The RSU also collaborates with the ICS and other entities to stage the International Reggae Conference (formerly The Global Reggae Conference) every two years at the Mona Campus. The Conference consolidates and disseminates knowledge on the global impact of Jamaican popular culture.  The next International Reggae Conference will be held in February 2015.

For further information, contact the Institute of Caribbean Studies located on the ground floor of the New Arts Block, Faculty of Humanities and Education: