Decolonizing ethnomusicology Ethnomusicologists have used decolonial approaches for diverse purposes, including: (a) showing how nations from outside “the west” use music projects to renegotiate international relations under postcolonial conditions, and (b) as a basis for methods to promote equality and transparency in intercultural music performance projects. The idea of decolonization is not new to the field of ethnomusicology. As early as 2006, the idea became a central topic of discussion for the Society for Ethnomusicology.Chavez, Luis and Russel Skelchy. "Decolonizable Spaces in Ethnomusicology." Society for Ethnomusicology Student News 12(2): 20-21. In humanities and education studies, the term decolonization is used to describe "an array of processes involving social justice, resistance, sustainability, and preservation. However, in ethnomusicology, decolonization is considered to be a metaphor by some scholars. Linda Tuhiwai Smith, a professor of indigenous studies in New Zealand, offered a look into the shift decolonization has taken: "decolonization, once viewed as the formal process of handing over the instruments of government, is now recognized as a long-term process involving the bureaucratic, cultural, linguistic and psychological divesting of colonial power."Smith, Linda Tuhiwai. 1999. Decolonizing Methodologies: Research and Indigenous Peoples. London: Zed Books Ltd. 98. For ethnomusicology, this shift means that fundamental changes in power structures, worldviews, academia, and the university system need to be analyzed as a confrontation of colonialism. A proposed decolonized approach to ethnomusicology involves reflecting on the philosophies and methodologies that constitute the discipline.Adamy, Hannah. "Reading, Decolonizing: Some Resources From Many Perspectives." Society for Ethnomusicology Student News 12(2): 42-43.
decOLonizing ETHnOmUsiCologY EthnOMUsiCologIsTs HavE usED decOlonial APprOacHes fOr diversE purpOses, inCLudinG: (a) ShOwIng hOw Nations FRom Outside “The weSt” uSE MUsic pRojecTs tO renegOtIAtE inTERnAtiOnal reLATions Under PostcOlonIal cOndItIONs, and (b) As a basis fOr mEtHOds TO promoTE EQuaLity and transpArENCY In inteRcultUrAl muSic perforMance PrOJeCts. The ideA of DeCoLonizAtIon Is Not nEW to the fIeld of ETHnomuSicology. As earlY aS 2006, the idea beCame a cEntRal tOPiC of discussiON For The socIEty for ethnomuSicologY.CHaVEZ, luis ANd rUssel sKelchy. "deCOlonizable sPaceS In eThnomuSIcologY." soCIety fOR eThnomuSiCOlogy sTuDenT News 12(2): 20-21. in hUmAniTieS and EDUCaTiOn stuDIeS, thE terM dEColonization Is usED to desCriBe "an arraY of PRoceSSeS iNvolViNG Social jUStIce, REsistance, suStainABilItY, anD preServatiOn. hOwever, In eThnomUsicOlOgy, decoloniZAtiOn is ConSIdERed tO Be A Metaphor bY sOMe sCHolars. LinDA tUhiwaI SMitH, a pRoFEssor oF indIgenOus StUdIes in new zeaLand, offErED A LOOK into tHE sHIft Decolonization has tAkEn: "DecolonizaTIOn, once vieWed As ThE fOrMal PrOcess of hanDINg ovEr the instrumentS of GOveRnMENt, IS now recoGnIzED aS a LoNG-term proceSs iNvoLving THE buReaUcratic, CUlturAL, LinguistIC and psyChOlOGical divesting of cOloNial powER."smiTh, lInda tUhiwaI. 1999. decolonizIng mEthOdoloGies: REsEArch aNd iNdiGeNous peoples. london: zed books LTd. 98. for ethnomusicOlogY, THis shIfT Means thaT FuNDAMEnTal CHaNgeS in poweR structUres, woRlDvIewS, aCadeMia, and tHe universIty sYStem neeD to bE analyzed aS a coNFroNtatION of coloniaLisM. a pRopOSed decolonIZed approaCh to ethNOmusiCOLOgy invoLves ReflEcTiNg on ThE phILoSoPhIes and METhoDoloGIEs tHaT constitUtE The disciplIne.aDamy, hAnnaH. "rEading, dEColonIzING: some RESOurces from MAnY peRSPEctives." sociEty foR etHnomUsIcoLoGY studEnT NeWs 12(2): 42-43.