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State Censorship and the Controversy Surrounding the Narcocorrido Genre in Mexico

After briefly presenting the history of the narcocorrido and its censorship in Mexico, we assess the different positions regarding the sanctioning of narco-music from multiple perspectives. Our interest lies in censorship as a social practice, rather than in its legal aspects. We examine how in Mexico, particularly in the state of Sinaloa, such restrictions have been justified and implemented, and analyze the scope and repercussions of censorship policies on the narcocorrido and its practitioners. Furthermore, we examine the interactions and discourses of those involved in the controversy.

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„State Censorship and the Controversy Surrounding the Narcocorrido Genre in Mexico“ weiterlesen
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Dance as Political Activism – Two Popular Choreomusical Responses to the Orlando Shooting

The violence perpetrated against queer persons of color in the 2016 Orlando Shooting was met with many collaborative artistic responses. This article considers how the relationship between music and dance amplified the political power of two such responses. The music video for Sia’s “The Greatest” (2016) and the dance video for X Ambassadors’ “Unsteady” (2016) each address the shooting through intricately correlated musical and choreographic structures. Exploring this correlation through a proposed system of choreomusical analysis, the article argues that it is in the overlap of dance and music that each imbues the other with new political power.

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„Dance as Political Activism – Two Popular Choreomusical Responses to the Orlando Shooting“ weiterlesen
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“And It Turns Out that It only Has Two Chords”: Secondary School Music Teachers’ Orientations on Dealing with Learners’ Music Cultures in the Classroom in Germany

In this study, we reconstruct German secondary music teachers’ strategies for dealing with learners’ (pop) music culture(s) in music lessons as well as shared implicit and explicit knowledge that underpins this practice and orientates teachers in their everyday teaching. Findings arise from data collected in group discussions analyzed with the help of the documentary method (Bohnsack 2014). Our study shows differences between learners’ and teachers’ (implicit) conceptions of the goals and the content of music lessons in school, especially with regard to the different notions of the value of pop music. It seems to be an everyday practice in school to functionalize pop music and positioning Western art music higher than other musical styles included in lessons. This is combined with an orientation toward the analysis of music as a common modus operandi. Our findings confirm the gap between students’ musical interests and practices in everyday life and school music education. This leads us to discuss the power relations in the educational system and the structures that cause social injustice, as well as new perspectives on music teacher training and music education in schools to face these issues in the future.

[Download PDF-Version revised 2024] | [Download PDF-Version 2021] | [Abstract auf Deutsch]

„“And It Turns Out that It only Has Two Chords”: Secondary School Music Teachers’ Orientations on Dealing with Learners’ Music Cultures in the Classroom in Germany“ weiterlesen
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What Is Soul?

In diesem Artikel analysiert Dietmar Elflein die Rezeption von Soul in den ausgehenden 1960er Jahren in Deutschland, versucht eine musikalische Analyse des damals mit Soul identifizierten Grooves, spürt den Produktionsbedingungen dieser Musik nach und fragt, was man in Deutschland damals von diesen Produktionsbedingungen wissen konnte. Die zugrunde liegende Methodik beruht auf Quellenrecherche und Höranalyse, deren Ergebnisse in soziale und Akteur-Netzwerke überführt und diskursanalytisch befragt werden. Im Ergebnis wird Soul unabhängig von seinen Produktionsbedingungen in den USA als black music und Tanzmusik konstruiert. Dabei werden neben der Spiritual- und Gospel-geschulten Singstimme die bassbetonten Grooves, einfachen Songstrukturen und die simple Harmonik des Southern Souls synonym mit Soul.

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„What Is Soul?“ weiterlesen