- "Ethnomusicology is the study of music from the cultural and social aspects of the people who make it."
Contemporary debates and issues in the field of Ethnomusicology, including issues of ownership, representation, and ethics.
Definition of Ethnomusicology: An introduction to the study of music in its cultural context, examining differences and similarities across cultures, regions, religions, and historical periods.
Globalization and Music: An exploration of the effects of globalization on music-making practices, the spread of pop and commercial music, and the emergence of new hybrid genres.
Music and Identity: An analysis of the ways in which music is used to construct and express individual and communal identities, including race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality.
Politics and Music: An examination of the role that music can play in political activism, social movements, and protest movements.
Music and Religion: A study of the intersection of music and religious practice, including the role of music in rituals, worship, and religious expression.
Transmission and Performance: An inquiry into the ways in which music is learned and transmitted across generations and the various modes of musical performance.
Culture and Creative Practice: An analysis of the cultural and historical factors influencing the creation of music, including the impact of technological innovation and globalization on creative output.
Music and Power: An investigation of the ways in which music is used to reinforce or subvert power and hierarchy, from colonialism to contemporary politics.
Globalization and Music Education: A discussion of how musical education and transmission of traditional music practices have changed in response to globalization.
Music and Migration: An exploration of musical practices that have developed as a result of cross-cultural migration, as well as the role of music in the lives of refugees and migrants.
Representation and Authenticity: This issue raises questions about who has the power to represent a culture, and how cultures should be represented to the public. Ethnomusicologists must navigate the fine line between celebrating cultural diversity and exploiting traditional musical forms for profit.
Cultural Identity and Globalization: The dramatic acceleration of globalization is leading to significant changes in musical traditions worldwide, including the hybridization of styles, mixing of cultures and the emergence of new forms of music. Ethnomusicologists need to address questions about how music is used to construct cultural identity, and how globalization is affecting this.
Gender and Music: Gender issues are found throughout ethnomusicology, from the history of women in traditional music to contemporary trends in gender equity and empowerment.
Intellectual Property and Copyright Law: This issue deals with how intellectual property concepts work in different cultures, and how they may clash with copyright laws in the West.
Social Justice and Music: Ethnomusicologists are increasingly interested in the role music plays in social justice, especially concerning issues such as poverty, racism, and cultural discrimination.
Education and Pedagogy: There is ongoing discussion in ethnomusicology about the best ways to teach traditional music, and how to incorporate this knowledge into contemporary music education.
Music and the Environment: The relationship between music, culture and the environment has become an important research topic in ethnomusicology, including the effects of climate change on musical communities.
Technology and Music: With the rise of technology and social media, new questions arise regarding how these changes affect the music industry and how music is being created and consumed.
Musical Preservation and Conservation: Ethnomusicologists advocate for the preservation of traditional music forms that are at risk of disappearing due to cultural and environmental factors.
Politics and Music: Lastly, the intersection of politics and music often leads to debate and research about the role music plays in political movements and public discourse.
- "It encompasses distinct theoretical and methodical approaches that emphasize cultural, social, material, cognitive, biological, and other dimensions or contexts of musical behavior, in addition to the sound component."
- "Folklorists, who began preserving and studying folklore music in Europe and the US in the 19th century, are considered the precursors of the field prior to the Second World War."
- "The term ethnomusicology is said to have been coined by Jaap Kunst from the Greek words ἔθνος (ethnos, 'nation') and μουσική (mousike, 'music')."
- "During its early development from comparative musicology in the 1950s, ethnomusicology was primarily oriented toward non-Western music."
- "For several decades it has included the study of all and any musics of the world (including Western art music and popular music) from anthropological, sociological, and intercultural perspectives."
- "Bruno Nettl once characterized ethnomusicology as a product of Western thinking, proclaiming that 'ethnomusicology as Western culture knows it is actually a western phenomenon.'"
- "In 1992, Jeff Todd Titon described it as the study of 'people making music.'"
- "Within musical ethnography, it is the first-hand personal study of musicking, also known as the act of taking part in a musical performance."
- "Folklorists, who began preserving and studying folklore music in Europe and the US in the 19th century, are considered the precursors of the field prior to the Second World War."
- "The term ethnomusicology is said to have been coined by Jaap Kunst from the Greek words ἔθνος (ethnos, 'nation') and μουσική (mousike, 'music')."
- "During its early development from comparative musicology in the 1950s, ethnomusicology was primarily oriented toward non-Western music."
- "For several decades it has included the study of all and any musics of the world (including Western art music and popular music) from anthropological, sociological, and intercultural perspectives."
- "Bruno Nettl once characterized ethnomusicology as a product of Western thinking, proclaiming that 'ethnomusicology as Western culture knows it is actually a western phenomenon.'"
- "In 1992, Jeff Todd Titon described it as the study of 'people making music.'"
- "Within musical ethnography, it is the first-hand personal study of musicking, also known as the act of taking part in a musical performance."
- "Folklorists, who began preserving and studying folklore music in Europe and the US in the 19th century, are considered the precursors of the field prior to the Second World War."
- "The term ethnomusicology is said to have been coined by Jaap Kunst from the Greek words ἔθνος (ethnos, 'nation') and μουσική (mousike, 'music')."
- "It encompasses distinct theoretical and methodical approaches that emphasize cultural, social, material, cognitive, biological, and other dimensions or contexts of musical behavior."
- "For several decades it has included the study of all and any musics of the world (including Western art music and popular music) from anthropological, sociological, and intercultural perspectives."