Multicultural Music Education: A Critical Review of Terminology
Camilo I. Leal University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this review of literature was to
examine, under a critical perspective, what have
been the uses (and the implications of those uses)
of the terms associated with multicultural music
education within music education literature.
Education is not neutral and it is impossible to
separate what we do in the classroom from the
economic and political conditions that shape our
work. (Giroux, 2007)
Conservative Committed to the preservation of a dominant culture as the superior one, it
multiculturalism/ advocates for a common culture and rejects multiculturalism as divisive.
monoculturalism Embraces the belief that Western culture is a common culture where all
social groups participate equally and relies on politics of assimilation. This
view benefit those groups that have privileged access to power [that]
involves their ability to define what constitutes the so-called common
culture.
Liberal Advocates for unity in the sense of sameness and amalgamation and claims
multiculturalism that peoples humanity will illustrate that men and women and various
races and ethnicities share more commonalities than differences. It puts
different people to compete as equals in an unequal society, allowing to
blame on individuals for they lack of success. It applies a color blind
approach under which the effects that race, gender, and class have for
oppressed people are ignored.
Pluralist Differs from liberal multiculturalism in that it celebrates cultural differences
multiculturalism as opposed to sameness. Although less sympathetic with processes of
assimilation or amalgamation, it fails to understand how the embracing of
cultural equality disrupts the dominant Western narratives, overlooking
systemic forms of oppression. Diversity is pursued for its own sake to the
point that difference is exoticized and fetishized. This approach has
become the mainstream articulation of multiculturalism.
Left-essentialist Assumes the important role that race, class, and gender issues play for the
multiculturalism oppressed, but tends to draw on essentialist conceptions of culture. It fails
to appreciate the historical situatedness of cultural differences, and to
recognize the dynamic elements of identity formation. It is not aware that
social constructs such as race change in time to mean different things for
different groups. It focuses in one of oppression as elemental and precedent
to all other forms of oppression, thus alienating itself from a broad range of
individuals and groups and obscuring the possibilities for strategic
democratic alliances for social justice.
Critical Is concerned with the contextualization that gives rise to race, class, and
multiculturalism gender inequalities with the ways power has operated historically and
contemporaneously to legitimate social categories and divisions.[and]
shape consciousness. Its main focuses are issues of justice and social
change and their relation to the pedagogical. By being aware of how
racism, sexism, and class biases are economically, semiotically,
politically, educationally and institutionally produced, teachers become
researchers of their students and their place in the dynamics of power, and
are able to help them to overcome social barriers.
(Kincheloe and Steimberg, 1997; see Morton, 2001)
Traditional Views Alternative Views
Terms Multicultural and World Music (WM):
One of the best resources to address
Mainly as indicators of ethnicity and nationality.
multiculturalism can be found within our students
Music Educators Journals special numbers of
and communities (Brooks-Graham, 1983; Kelly & Van
1967, 1983, and 1992, and the variety of articles
Weelden, 2004)
appearing in the MENCs publication on World
Music, use the There is emphasis in the idea of
music educators (and students) could more fully
other cultures. (Volk, 1993; Reimer, 2002).
realize the potential of multicultural education in
Articles by Kang (2016), Wang and Humphreys
general by attending to the ethical tensions and
(2009), and Mason (2010) still use the term MME as
socio-political contradictions manifest in cultural
associated to nationality or ethnicity.
perspectives and hierarchies. (Morton, 2001)
Term Multiethnic Education: a more reasonable
Culture is a compound of elements and individuals
term to be addressed by the field of music
can be multicultural in the sense that their identity is
education Multiculturalism is potentially explosive
linked to a variety elements from different cultures.
and might suggest unintended socio-political
(Miralis, 2006)
connotations (Campbell as cited by Miralis, 2006)
if multiculturalism is to be meaningful and lasting,
WAM: should still be central (as our musical
then it must include a much broader agenda than
tradition) and multiculturalism secondary to
simply singing, dancing, or making instruments from
musicianship (Campbell, 1993) Western art music
different ethnic origin. (Stephens, 2002)
not be relegated to a corner in favor of so much
diversity. (Volk, 2002). Focus on authenticity of
materials and teaching methods.
Critiques Conclusions
Terms are used in a variety of ways and as
A common culture where all social groups
interchangeable to define different things.
participate equally has never existed in the West
(Kincheloe and Seinberg, 1997)
Literature use of the terms associated to MME is
ambiguous and difficult to connect when creating
Issues of social class, gender, and disability are theoretical constructs, and by blurring the
not generally found under the multicultural sociopolitical implications of the use of any specific
umbrella (Koza, 2001) term.
The main use of the term MME has been as an ethnic
The dual relationship between us and the other
and racial descriptor. These uses carry essentialist
serves the purpose of Western culture construction
notions of culture and philosophies of education that
of the self in terms of the excluded other.
favor current relationships of power.
By congratulating ourselves on our tolerance of the
racial other, we establish our position of superiority.
A critical perspective on MME issues can help to
(Hess, 2013) understand sociopolitical implications of the use of
terminology.