Music as a social phenomenon – theoretical concepts and empirical inquiries

While music has never been a major focus of social sciences, the reflection on its significance in social life has always been present. Music was analyzed, among others, in the context of the social construction of genius (E.Elias, T.DeNora), social movements (R.Eyerman), socio-cultural changes (T.W.Adorno), power and political influence (J.Attali, G.Born) or social stratification (P.Bourdieu, R.A. Petterson, M.Savage). Regardless chosen subjects and perspectives, the researchers are consent that music plays an important role in social relations. As Tia DeNora points out: „(…) music serves as a medium in, through and against which feeling, perception, attention, consciousness, action and embodied processes are produced. At times, actors may engage in this appropriation process with deliberation, knowing how certain music works on them from past experience. But at other times, music may take actors unaware.” (DeNora 2009: 161-162).

Within the special issue on music, we want to present the results of the latest research  on social dimensions of music, but also focus on the theoretical and methodological challenges facing socially oriented music investigations. We suggest that the detailed analyzes should concern, among others, topics such as:

• Classical vs contemporary theoretical approaches to music research – raptures or continuation?
• Social functions of music;
• Music and social, cultural and political changes;
• Internet and new technologies in process of transformation of musical worlds (new patterns of participation in music culture; new models of music production and distributions);
• Music education (comparative and case studies);
• Musical professions – biographical narratives, career strategies, social and economic status, musical job market;
• Music – identity – everyday life – lifestyle orientations.

Deadlines

• 21 December 2017  – submission of extended abstracts (max 1000 words, in English or in Polish) to Katarzyna Wyrzykowska [email protected] (the personal information and institutional affiliation should be provided along with the proposal);
• 31 December 2017 –  notification of proposal acceptance;
• 31 March 2018 – submission of full papers (in English or in Polish).

Editors: Katarzyna M. Wyrzykowska, Agata Rozalska, Krzysztof Stachura.