Giving Voice to Democracy in Music Education : Diversity and Social Justice in the Classroom

Focusing on democracy as a vital dimension in teaching music, this book visits music as democratic practice in both public schooling and in teacher education. Essays include the teaching of the arts as a response to democratic participation; diversity in music classes including issues such as race, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and special needs; teaching as praxis within a democratic context; and music teaching as a form of social justice. Engaging with current scholarship in both local and global contexts, the book probes the philosophical nature of music and democracy and presents ways of democratizing music curriculum and human interactions within the classroom.

This book examines how music education presents opportunities to shape democratic awareness through political, pedagogical, and humanistic perspectives. Focusing on democracy as a vital dimension in teaching music, the essays in this volume have particular relevance to teaching music as democratic practice in both public schooling and in teacher education. Although music educators have much to learn from others in the educational field, the actual teaching of music involves social and political dimensions unique to the arts. In addition, teaching music as democratic practice demands a pedagogical foundation not often examined in the general teacher education community. Essays include the teaching of the arts as a critical response to democratic participation; exploring democracy in the music classroom with such issues as safe spaces, sexual orientation, music of the Holocaust, improvisation, race and technology; and music teaching/music teacher education as a form of social justice. Engaging with current scholarship, the book not only probes the philosophical nature of music and democracy, but also presents ways of democratizing music curriculum and human interactions within the classroom. This volume offers the collective wisdom of  international scholars, teachers, and teacher educators and will be essential reading for those who teach music as a vital force for change and social justice in both local and global contexts.