For a culture of peace: rethinking our idea of culture

Until recently, cultural studies was a part of knowledge that was treated by the academic world in an ambivalent way. On one hand, there was a belief that the humanities, including the social sciences, in some way belong to each other, with the understanding that they at least partly create a common field. On the other hand, there was a visible tendency to diversify the expanding specializations, by creating new disciplines of knowledge which were separated from the original core. Cultural studies were perceived as an eclectic type of knowledge embracing almost everything, starting with demography and archeology through sociology, psychology and history, also encompassing economics and cultural management. This situation was also expressed by the institutional structure of scientific disciplines. Nowadays it has become apparent that this postmodern fragmentization of culture is petering out. This has created the necessity of a new synthesis in the humanities. It has resulted in the institutionalization of ‘cultural studies’ for which the Polish equivalent can be expressed as ‘kulturoznawstwo.’ Moreover, in relation to postmodernism, (especially models of postmodern narration and phenomena such as over interpretation while analyzing an investigated object), which is a common feature of all the humanities, we may go beyond the postmodern canons. While postmodernism is becoming the subject of reflection in the history of knowledge, there are new methodological propositions coming to light. They are partly the continuation of but also the opposition to postmodern depictions. In that exact moment, cultural studies as a scientific discipline arises. These two reasons, one institutional and the other thematic, have become an invitation for discussion about the identity of cultural studies as a field of knowledge. The aim of the conference was to bring together researchers who are engaged in research on culture. The discussion was not limited to their differences, but also included common points in particular disciplines. The research subject has taken the first step towards formulating a general methodology of the science of culture. The variety of presented research perspectives and the problems which cultural studies will face points towards the necessity of further ventures which would organize and order both subjects and methods of cultural studies research. The opportunity to take more profound reflections and desired polemics in this field will surely be included in the publication of the post-conference materials.

in Janet Sturman (ed)., The SAGE International Encyclopedia of Music and Culture Ethnicity, Music and Title: The SAGE International Encyclopedia of Music and Culture Chapter , 2019

Music and ethnicity are important paradigms of ethnomusicology, the field around which this publication is built. Their theoretical interaction is at the source of the modern version of the discipline as well as its name. The study of the interactions between music and ethnic identity is a key element in the theoretical framework of ethnomusicology and an important and relevant contribution to the study of music and culture. Ethnicity is a complex concept, too often limited to a culturalist perspective describing an ethnic community as culturally homogeneous. This entry begins with an introduction to ethnicity as a constantly redefined concept that has to be approached through the notions of boundaries and interactions. Several criteria are usually mobilized in the determination of ethnicity: common origin and history, the group’s appellation, its language, and its culture. However, those perspectives cannot be superimposed in order to define the limits of an ethnic group (ethnic frontiers based on linguistic criteria don’t correspond to frontiers based on musical criteria). Ethnicity cannot be approached as a homogenous entity but has to be considered in its relationship with otherness. This entry will develop the cultural side of ethnic identity, which should not be considered as a cause of ethnicity but as a way to legitimize it. The second part of the entry develops the interrelations between music and ethnicity. Those interactions are mainly approached through the phenomenon of migration as ethnicity tends to be emphasized in this context. The last part of the entry is devoted to the role of concerts and traditional musical ensembles in the preservation of ethnic identity as well as the differences existing between the music of a migrant community and the practices occurring in the origin community.

Review of European Studies, 2015

Among the rural settlements of the Turkish population in Macedonia exist more specific communities that are characterized by geographical, ethnological, linguistic, and cultural autochthony. These features, which greatly contributed to the longer preservation of cultural heritage, are also reflected in the musical tradition. One of these communities is Kodzadzik village, municipality Zupa, Western Macedonia, the birthplace of the family of Ataturk. Today, Music in the village of Kodzadzik is still one of the vital factors that continually sublimate events of the rich history of many centuries. This is confirmed by our field research conducted during 2013 by collecting, recording, and monitoring of certain worldly events, in which music plays an important role. Hence, we focused on the wedding customs, sunnets (circumcisions), holidays, as well as everyday occasions. The structure of the performing ensemble depends on the occasion in which they perform a repertoire, and it can be both instrumental and vocal, or either one alone in a group or solo performance. Interestingly, the performing ensemble in collective events is still constituted of traditional instruments, davul and zurna and also are used the saz, wooden spoons, and tarabuka (hourglass drum). The repertoire consists of local traditional folk and Rumelian songs from the wider region and songs are epic or lyric in their theme. The music in Kodzadzik represents a spiritual monument of events and emotional conditions that leave a strong impression on people and owing to which it retains its authenticity to this day.

THE HUMANITY OF CULTURE VOL 1

NORMATIVE STATEMENT “Who holds your history?” Is a question that requires the attentiveness of the conscience, emotions, heart, mind, soul, and spirit of all global citizens. This theoretical point at issue is analysed and framed within context through The Humanity of Culture lens. The Humanity of Culture has to do with storytelling that permeates every geographical space and is managed by global citizens, who metaphorically, act as a conduit Mechanisms which is passed from one person to another. The same is also a lens which acts as a pretext to articulate stories of global citizens of Identities, of class, culture, ethnicity, gender, hierarchy, ownership, and race are characteristics function as points of identification”3 according to Stuart Hall. Therefore, Humanity of Culture which is also characterized as a cultural storytelling conversation certainly sets the stage for sharing and communicating stories, tales of heroic deeds, fierce battles and morals sorely learned as a vehicle for teaching and entertainment of any diaspora. In this context, metaphorically, all global citizens who act as a conduit use their lens within these fora for storytelling, and a link to the relevant skills which are handed down in families, from past generations to the contemporary generation design to uphold the quality of life in the future within every geographical sphere. William Anderson Gittens Author B.A., Cinematographer, Cultural Practitioner,Dip.Com. Arts, ,Media Arts Specialists’ Publisher ISBN 978-976-96294-9-3

Uluslararası Etnomüzikoloji Sempozyumu , Müzik ve Politika, Bildiri Kitabı (Association of Ethnomuısicology, International Ethnomusicology Symposium, Music and Politics), 2018

Marija Golubović, Monika Novaković, Miloš Marinković (eds.): Shaping the Present by the Future: Ethno/musicology and Contemporaneity, 2020

Young Musicology Belgrade is the third conference in the series that began with the Young Musicology Prague conference, organized by Department of Music History, Institute of Ethnology, of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic in 2016, and followed by the Young Musicology Munich conference in autumn 2018 that was held at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. In this instalment in Belgrade, our starting point is the following question: what is the place of ethno/musicological thought in the contemporary world? The notion of contemporaneity, while constantly provoking theorization, provides us the opportunity to self-reflect and analyze our own methodologies, strategies and scientific challenges in the present moment. What is happening in ethno/musicology after modernist historicism and its postmodern critical self-examination in movements such as the New Ethno/Musicology? Are the familiar methodologies still relevant, have they improved or changed, and in what ways? How can we establish fruitful inter/transdisciplinary collaborations between ethno/musicology and other humanities, social or natural sciences? What is the impact of technology and media in today’s musicology and ethnomusicology? These are just a few questions faced by the humanities by the contemporary world, and the aim of our conference is to draft possible answers by giving voice to the young experts in our fields. In this conference, PhD students and young scholars will reflect upon these topics, and share their methodologies, experiences and challenges in dealing with various subjects of contemporary ethno/musicology. The starting points of our conference include contemporary challenges in ethno/musicology; methodology of contemporary ethno/musicology; the future of ethno/ musicology; inter/trans-disciplinary collaborations; ethno/musicology and technology; ethno/musicology and media – important subjects which occupy the minds of our keynote speakers as well as our participants. Dr. David Beard asks the following questions: Have there been new conflicts and tensions? What does the current situation indicate about the future? With intention to answer those and associated questions in his keynote lecture Musicology, Crisis and the Contemporary, Or: Musicology’s Oedipus Complex focusing on two concepts: crisis and the contemporary. In his search for answers, he will navigate his way through the context of quality of musical education, political and ideological ramifi cations of the humanities as well as concerns and problems in society musicology is becoming aware of. What can musicology do against such concerns and in what way? Dr. Selena Rakočević will, in her keynote lecture Challenges of ethnomusicological and ethnochoreological research within the ever changing world. A view of a scholar from Serbia, provide us with the invaluable insight into the challenges she met as a scholar practicing ethnomusicological and ethnochoreological research since mid-1990s, but also those of her colleagues from Serbia and other former Yugoslav countries. Rakočević also states that it is her intention to confront all various voices which shaped her current personal view of what is being done in our ethnomusicological and ethnochoreological research, the way it is done and the reason behind doing just that in the first place. In the end, she will try to identify the importance this reason carries within itself and for whom. Our participants will encompass the wide range of topics in regards to musical performance, the relationship of ethnomusicology and contemporaneity, challenges in researching minority music, questions of musical folklorism, musicology and film studies, the status of radio art in musicology, musicology and metal music studies, post-feminism and feminism, education, developments of methodologies relevant to the research of musical borrowing, computational musicology, musicology and virtual reality, place of musicology in personal computing revolution and others. We hope this exchange of thoughts, concerns and answers to the urgent matters will prompt scholars to ask new questions and also equip them to answer the future challenges they will face.

This article presents some thoughts toward a conceptualization of musical traditions as Intangible Cultural Heritage. The Afro-Brazilian samba de roda and candomblé serve as paradigms to discuss the dichotomy of intangibility/tangibility of cultural expressions, i.e. between the ephemerality of their experience and the endurance of their material objects and documentation. The special importance of the human body in both traditions points to the centrality of human experience in practicing, transmitting and safeguarding intangible cultural heritage. Such a perspective puts into question safeguarding measures such as inventory-making and documentation of musical practices and may open the way for more appropriate methods for fostering them.

Journal of Awareness

This paper aims to trate the issues of cultures and arts as reflection of development of society in the ideas of Neo-Albanianism. The proponents of this thinking value the intellectual movement as highly important in the context of their actions toward the development of the country, e.g. only when they possess real mental preparation can we jump into the field of practice to apply their codified thoughts. The thoughts of Neo-Albanianism on culture, literature, and arts are expounded generally in the form of redactional comments or recensions on particular works, through which they generally achieve a sort of codification of their views on these issues. In the general sphere, their theory relies on the assertions of R. Descartes, E. Kant, A. Comte, and so forth, in the artistic sphere; their views are more related to an evaluation of particular works from the standpoint of their philosophical background.

This work deals with cultural studies continue and more particularly the aesthetics of iconic reflections, where Ikona means not only a substrate-image but also an acoustic instrument. What stimulates imagination more than a medium which is infinitely powerful by nature – as in the case of religious iconography – and powerless at once, since it almost never allows detachment from the reality of its figuration. As we do in semiotics for indexes, signs and symbols in visual art we deal with complex languages that hosts “things” i. e. “images” that refer constantly to other “things” and it occurs very often that what it is given as an economic advantage is obtained from a synthesis of its contrary: a regressus ad infinitum. A support of acoustic resonance is added to this substrate-image by rethinking the modular mind and the increasingly close relate between neuroscience, simulation of complex systems and the users of social network on the one hand and the role of ethics in areas that may be considered “art fields” but whose accommodation is still poor, inappropriate, pending regulation or uneven. In the context of the International Conference of Music and Philosophy, as we shall see, this reflection leads to a deepening of themes which are common to both field of research: ethics, interaction, reflection, choice, freedom, playfulness, imagination.

Transposition : musique et sciences sociales n°8 (en ligne / online), 2019

Music holds a key place in the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) of humanity as inventoried by UNESCO since its 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the ICH. More broadly, beyond the United Nations, “intangible heritage” seems to have become the dominant paradigm in processes of heritagisation and recognition of musical practices at the international level. Given the vast scope of this phenomenon, the aim here is to initiate a transnational, comparative approach to the relations between music and “intangible heritage”. Looking at the ways in which this notion (and/or the heritage apparatus that comes with it) is implemented, reformulated or contested in the field, and at its interactions with other categories and modes of action in use, this issue of Transposition invites us to ask: what does ICH do to music and, conversely, what does music do to ICH? *** La musique occupe une place de choix au sein du Patrimoine Culturel Immatériel (PCI) de l’humanité tel que le répertorie l’UNESCO depuis sa Convention de sauvegarde de 2003. Plus largement, au-delà des Nations-Unies, le « patrimoine immatériel » semble être devenu le paradigme dominant dans les actions de patrimonialisation et de valorisation des pratiques musicales à l’échelle internationale. Devant l’ampleur de ce phénomène, il s’agit d’engager une approche transnationale et comparative des rapports entre musique et « patrimoine immatériel ». En s’intéressant aux façons dont cette notion (et/ou l’appareil patrimonial qui l’accompagne) est mise en œuvre, reformulée ou contestée sur le terrain, et à ses interactions avec d’autres catégories et modalités d’action en usage, ce numéro de Transposition propose donc de se demander : que fait le PCI à la musique et, inversement, que fait la musique au PCI ?