Music Anthropology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Music Anthropology - Essay Example And since the 1930s there has been a rebellious sub discipline of sociology called 'critical theory' whose avowed purpose is to expose the workings of ideology in everyday life, revealing 'uncritically' accepted beliefs and so returning to individuals the power to decide for themselves what they will believe for, by presenting themselves as simply 'the way things are', ideologies suppress the very existence of alternatives. Critical Theory developed to become a comprehensive mode of culture critique whose effects have been felt in disciplines as varied as literary studies, film and media studies, art history--and, more recently, musicology. Theodor Adorno, one of the founders of critical theory, was not only a sociologist but also an accomplished musician (he studied composition with Schoenberg's most famous pupil, Alban Berg), and he wrote as much on music as he did on sociology. Critical theory is in essence a theory of power, and it sees power largely in terms of the institutions through which it is channeled. In musicology, this approach has stimulated historical research into the formation of the canon (the repertory of masterworks on display in the musical museum) and the role of musical institutions in constructing, maintaining, and naturalizing this canon. But you can see the process at work today in the most important of such institutions, those at which music is taught (schools, conservatories, and universities). It is most obvious in the repositioning of rock within the academy. Pittman evoked the specific, pre-existing ideological discourse of rock and roll. While on the surface 'rock music' is a neutral label that distinguishes a particular kind of music, it also comprises a set of ideological assumptions about music creation and social life. Rock emerged as not only a musical genre, but a system of discourse through which the effects of the commercialization of music and the industrialization of music production can be negotiated, and by which social inequalities can be activated in a cultural arena. In an ideological division reminiscent of the high culture or popular culture distinction, rock discourse forged a hierarchy within popular music by creating a structure of value against which 'pop' music could be devalued. Rock was made to stand as a higher form of popular music, as the representative of art and artfulness. The commercialization and industrialization of music has dramatically changed the way in which music is created. Music production is organized around the segmenting of creative processes and a hierarchical form of collective production that involves more creators and more stages of creation. To make music within the music industry, musicians work with a number of people songwriters whose songs are chosen for their repertoire (in the event the musician does not write the material); producers of albums; engineers of songs; record company officials who dictate release dates of albums and singles and handle marketing and distribution; and, most recently, directors of video promotion. The separation of individual creators into categories of creative work is a function of the industrial mode of divided labor and helps industry maintain control over production. It is important to the

Parents as Educators Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Parents as Educators - Essay Example This paper investigates that anyone who plans a career in the field of young children’s education must have a clear understanding of the value of play because this is an important medium through which children learn about the world. Children are vulnerable to many dangers in childhood, and it is important for me to identify the needs of any child in my care and work in collaboration with others to ensure that each child has the best possible start in life. I feel that it is essential to work alongside parents and carers, supporting them in their own individual approaches to childcare. School and playgroup environments can provide some additional support, but there is nothing that can fully replace the family based bonding and relationships that help a child to become socialised in the world.This research stresses that  children grow up within a family and the family in turn is located within a whole social environment consisting of the wider family members, the neighbours, a nd various other known persons and strangers. Imaginative engagement by a caregiver is an important way of passing on cultural values and instructions on how the child should fit in with his or her local social environment.   One international study compared for example American Irish and Taiwanese families, and noted that there are some universal features, relating to developmental milestones for the child, and some variable features related to the culture of the family group in the way that caregivers initiate and support play with young children.... hool and playgroup environments can provide some additional support, but there is nothing that can fully replace the family based bonding and relationships that help a child to become socialised in the world. One aspect that I have reflected on is the need to be aware of different cultural contexts and to learn about varieties of play that may be preferred on different social and cultural groups. Some parents may be very achievement oriented, and they may be more or less child centred in their family environment, while others prefer passive storytelling activities, for example. II think it is part of my role to help families extend their repertoire so that parents and children both gain from productive kinds of play. Why family engagement supports early child development and learning Children grow up within a family and the family in turn is located within a whole social environment consisting of the wider family members, the neighbours, and various other known persons and strangers. Imaginative engagement by a caregiver is an important way of passing on cultural values and instructions on how the child should fit in with his or her local social environment. One international study compared for example American Irish and Taiwanese families, and noted that there are some universal features, relating to developmental milestones for the child, and some variable features related to the culture of the family group in the way that caregivers initiate and support play with young children (Haight et al., 1999). Similarly Farver and Howes (1993) found that there are differences between Mexican and American mothers’ strategies in guiding their children’s play, and this suggest that wider social norms are an important factor, as well as individual differences in each