Peaces of music: understanding the varieties of peace that music-making can foster
Author(s):
Gillian Howell
Publication Year:
2023
Type:
journal article
Journal/Book Title
Peacebuilding
Publisher
Editor(s):
Pages:
152-168
Volume:
11
Issue:
2
Abstract:
This article offers a new conceptual and theoretical model for researching music-based peacebuilding, an emerging interdisciplinary field that is characterised by heterogeneity of practices, concepts, and analytical approaches. Drawing upon findings from a scoping study of 62 peer-reviewed English language publications that describe music-based peacebuilding practices, it presents a typology of six varieties of peace that this work can foster. Each peace is constituted by a combination of four key variables in approaches to practice and implementation: intergroup encounter; intentional engagement with the extant conflict or politics that drive the need for peace-promoting work; sociality and opportunities for independent social interactions and affective ties; and the projection of the peace message to an external audience. The typology brings needed coherence to this diverse field, providing a nuanced framework for articulating the peacebuilding potential of music and for engaging critically with the possibilities, limitations, and complexities of creative contributions to peacebuilding.
Citation (Chicago Author-Date):
Howell, Gillian. 2023. “Peaces of Music: Understanding the Varieties of Peace That Music-Making Can Foster.” Peacebuilding 11 (2): 152–68. https://doi.org/10.1080/21647259.2022.2152974.