Reflections on Music and Identity in Ethnomusicology - Timothy Rice

 The study of identity and its relationship to musical practice is relatively new in American ethnomusicological studies. The relationship between music and identity involves many other subjects such as individual agency, urban or popular music, gender, migration, nationalism and globalization (Rice, 2007, p. 19). Going back in time, the very first article published in the famous journal of Ethnomusicology, using the word “identity” in its title, was written in 1982. Since Christopher Waterman’s article “I’m a Leader, Not a Boss: Social Identity and Popular music in Ibadan, Nigeria”, identity became a regular subject in the journal of Ethnomusicology and one of the most important areas in the field  (Rice, 2007, pp. 18-19).

 

But what is identity and how does it relate to ethnomusicology?

 

Defining identity is not an easy task. The term itself may have first appeared during the 1950’s through the work of psychologist Erik Erikson, who studied the developmental stages of individuals, giving us the famous term “identity crisis” (Rice, 2007, p. 21).

 

When trying to define identity, psychologists talk about two main notions. First, the idea that identity is mainly about individual self-identity; raising questions such as who am I? Or what is my true nature? And second, a collective notion or an idea of “belonging” and identifying with and to social groups (Rice, 2007, p. 21).

 

On their part, ethnomusicologists have not managed to define identity yet. But some have addressed these issues in their work. For example, in the way that music contributes to identity in a sense of self-definition or self-understanding (Rice, 2007, p. 21). “Creating” or “authoring” the self through music, through reflection on one’s own musical practice, or even studying the way in which musical activities create a sense of belonging to social groups (Rice, 2007, p. 23). On the other hand, ethnomusicology studies on group identity tend to be more common. Identity in these cases seems to be about collective self-understanding, represented by characteristics, activities and customs such as music (Rice, 2007, p. 23).

  

To what extent and how does music making and listening take part in the construction of emerging and changing social identities? Most of the articles about identity published in the journal of Ethnomusicology from 1982 to 2006, deal with situations where new identities emerge for political or social reasons, repeating the idea that music helps to construct social identities (Rice, 2007, p. 24). However, all of those studies end up establishing that social identity is something that already exists, meaning that music’s only role is to symbolize or reflect it (Rice, 2007, p. 25). 

 

What does music contribute to identity?

 

To name a few examples, music gives symbolic shape to pre-existing or new identities. Through its different properties, like melody, harmony, rhythm, timbre or others, music has the ability to represent and reveal elements of an identity (Rice, 2007, p. 35). It provides opportunities for communities that share an identity, revealing common experiences (Rice, 2007, p. 36).

 

The articles published during 1982 and 2006 in Ethnomusicology mentioning identity, were simply the tip of the iceberg of an interest in the area of music and its role in creating, building, articulating and reflecting social identities.

Music provides an interesting window into processes of identity formation in several regions of the world (Rice, 2007, p. 36). In order to improve the potential of ethnomusicology, it’s important to keep studying both notions together, keep pushing for the urgent need of a unified body of work that connects with the larger literature on identity and that works with cross-cultural theories (Rice, 2007, p. 36).

 

Reference:

 

Rice, T. (2007). Reflections on Music and Identity in Ethnomusicology. Muzikologija: Issue 7, Pages: 17-38 https://doi.org/10.2298/MUZ0707017R

 

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