Engaging the “Other”: Contemporary Music as Perspective-Shifting in Post-conflict Northern Uganda
Author(s):
Lindsay McClain Opiyo
Publication Year:
2020
Type:
book section
Journal/Book Title
Peacebuilding and the Arts
Publisher
Springer International Publishing
Editor(s):
Jolyon Mitchell
Giselle Vincett
Theodora Hawksley
Hal Culbertson
Pages:
157-175
Volume:
Issue:
Abstract:
In “Engaging the ‘Other’: Contemporary Music as Perspective-Shifting in Post-conflict Northern Uganda,” Opiyo explores the relationship between music and peacebuilding in developing constructive relationships in Northern Uganda, the site of over two decades of conflict between the Ugandan government and various rebel groups, particularly the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). By focusing on three popular and poignant conflict-era songs, this essay suggests that there is significant potential for transformative peacebuilding when music strategically engages with groups labelled by society as the “other.” Building on a discussion of the songs themselves, Opiyo makes a case for recognizing the value of music for nurturing perspective-shifting within groups and between groups polarized by protracted conflict.
Citation (Chicago Author-Date):
Opiyo, Lindsay McClain. 2020. “Engaging the ‘Other’: Contemporary Music as Perspective-Shifting in Post-Conflict Northern Uganda.” In Peacebuilding and the Arts, edited by Jolyon Mitchell, Giselle Vincett, Theodora Hawksley, and Hal Culbertson, 157–75. Cham: Springer International Publishing. https://link.springer.com/10.1007/978-3-030-17875-8_7.