Output details

Applied Ethnomusicology and HIV and AIDS: Responsibility, Ability, and Action

This 8,300 word article was published in the foremost ethnomusicology journal in the world, Ethnomusicology. This journal is published by the Society for Ethnomusicology, one of the two largest ethnomusicology organizations globally. The peer review process for the journal is rigorous, with editors seeking articles which are not only original and well researched but which might also point new directions in the discipline. Many published articles have a heavily theoretical angle. While still being grounded in ethnographic research and theoretical discussion, this article offers a fresh perspective by arguing that ethnomusicologists should become more involved as agents of change within society, particularly (but not exclusively) in relation to HIV and AIDS. In the first part of the article, the author demonstrates a rise in action-oriented perspectives within ethnomusicology, but also emphasizes that ethnomusicologists have lagged behind colleagues in other disciplines in engaging with AIDS. The second part of the article draws upon the author’s research and applied work in Kenya and England to reflect upon some of the ways in which ethnomusicologists can engage with the communities in which they work. The article ends by presenting an action list for an ethnomusicology of HIV and AIDS. Ultimately, the author argues that the point is not to abandon scholarship, but to make scholarship of service to the people it is about. Indicators of impact: (a) The article has been cited by other researchers, is being used in ethnomusicology classes, and has led to emails from students at various institutions seeking guidance for work related to music and health. (b) Recognition of the author’s authority as an applied ethnomusicologist has led to her being invited to chair the plenary session for a ground-breaking conference on "The Societal and Ethical Benefits of Collaborative Research into Music and Health” in London in October 2013.