Society for Ethnomusicology 2008 Preconference (October 24, 2008)
Toward a 21st-Century Ethnomusicology
Much has changed in the half century since the globe was terminologically divided into First, Second, and Third Worlds, reflecting economic and political inequities. Despite more recent terminology recognizing political sensitivities (“developing,” “industrializing”) and new travel and communication networks (“transnational,” “virtual,” “global”), communication with scholars living outside North America and Europe has been isolated. While many ethnomusicologists have individually worked closely with scholars in the countries of our research, there has been little broader communication working toward a more global ethnomusicology, especially the kind that both takes full advantage of the latest technology to bring disparate groups together, and that takes account of local concerns, the twin edges of the globalization sword.
In this preconference we look forward and attempt to map out issues for an ethnomusicology that functions on a more global scale. We intend to open up the umbrella of ethnomusicology and bring to a broader audience the concerns of both younger and more established scholars primarily working in their home countries outside North America and Europe. We do this in two ways. Firstly, we are inviting scholars from China, Indonesia, and Africa to participate in person. Secondly, via the internet we are setting up a truly global symposium of unprecedented scale in our field. In addition to webcasting the proceedings and enabling individual viewers to communicate with us, we are designating several sites each in China, Indonesia, and Africa where students and professionals can gather to participate and interact in real time. With Wesleyan as a hub, we plan to link groups who would not otherwise converse with each other.
We will make preliminary papers available online several weeks before the preconference, and set up blogs for discussion. The preconference will consist of international panels discussing issues of concern from their own perspectives. In four separate panels (China, Indonesia, Africa, and Plenary) we will discuss the following topics (additional topics will come from our panelists). Musical performances will be heard throughout the day from our various locations.
- Music Education (schools and colleges)
- Preservation of cultural heritage (museums, archives)
- Cultural tourism
- Music historical and theoretical research
- New forms of musical performance
- Diasporic connections
- Video and film
Panel Schedule
Fri. Oct. 24, 7:00am to 9:00am China (+ 12 hours time difference)
Fri. Oct. 24, 9:30am to 11:30am Indonesia (+11 hours time difference)
Fri. Oct. 24, 1:00pm to 3:00pm Africa (+7 hours-Nairobi; +4 hours-Dakar)
Sat. Oct. 25, 8:00am to 10:00am Full session
Details of invited speakers from China, Indonesia, and Africa will be available about July.
We gratefully acknowledge funding from the following sources at Wesleyan University: the Edward H. Snowdon Fund, the Office of the Provost, and the Office of the President.
Eric Charry (echarry@wesleyan.edu)
Local Arrangements Chair, SEM 2008