160060 UE Introduction to Ethnomusicology (2024S)

During this course, students will be introduced to the ethnographic methods used in ethnomusicological research and will have the opportunity to explore these methods in practice. Working in groups, they will be progressively become familiar to different stages of ethnographic research through theoretical input and a series of relevant short assignments, which will help them to develop essential skills for designing, conducting, and presenting their own research projects.

Initially, we will focus on forming a research proposal, posing research questions, and exploring innovative research topics about music (idioms, genres, repertoires, practices, instruments) and people making and experiencing music within particular social, political and cultural contexts (regions, localities, situations, media-sites, etc.). Next, we will look at emerging challenges in defining the “field,” organizing field research, and identifying appropriate methods to answer the questions posed. In this process, we will explore some theories on field research, and read and discuss notions such as musical experience, objectivity/subjectivity, cultural insider/outsider, power and positionality, as well as research ethics. The next stage involves the actual field research and a variety of methods for qualitative data collection, such as audiovisual recording, online fieldwork, interviews, participant observation, drafting field notes, and practicing musical apprenticeship. We will explore the potential and limitations of each of these methods through a series of discussions and assignments in the context of each group project. At the end of the course, students will use the collected data to compose and present concise ethnographic reports. These reports will consist of an introduction to the main question/s or topic of each project, a discussion of the theoretical and methodological framework, and the integration and elaboration of findings through ethnographic descriptions, interpretations, and/or analysis. Additionally, students will be required to engage in critical reflection on their ethnographic experience.