Work

Revolutionary Activism in Striated Spaces? Considering an Activist Music Education in K-12 Schooling

Year: 2018

Type: article

Abstract: Given the hierarchies, limitations, and power embedded in institutions such as schools, this paper examines whether an activist music education that occurs inside of school can be truly revolutionary.I draw upon Deleuze andGuattari's (2005/1987) treatise on "Nomadology and the War Machine" as a conceptual framework for this philosophical paper, exploring the definition of revolutionary activism and the (im)possibility for "creative lines of flight" to be drawn in schools.I further introduce the elements of an activist music education, as put forward by 20 activist-musicians in a qualitative study, and offer three vignettes from a fictionalized activist music program.I draw upon the vignettes to problematize the possibility of revolutionary activism in schools, pointing to the complexities of educators as both State and non-State actors, the complications introduced in considering Bell's (1995) principle of interest convergence, and the potential of an activist education to fall into microfascist behavior.In conclusion, I note the impossibility of engaging in truly revolutionary music education in schools.

Source: Action Criticism and Theory for Music Education

DOI: 10.22176/act17.2.21

Author: Juliet Hess

Institution: Michigan State University

Language: English

Topic: Diverse Music Education Insights

Subfield: Music

Field: Arts and Humanities

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Quality education, Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: diamond

OpenAlex ID: W2885611932