isaScience 2018 Conference: ‘Participatory Approaches to Music & Democracy’ (Vienna, Austria)

The conference isaSience is part of isa, the summer academy of mdw – University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, Austria, and has offered a platform for interdisciplinary research on music and performing arts on diverse themes since 2013.

Over the last few decades, a rich body of literature has explored how individuals and groups use music as a resource to achieve social, cultural and political participation and to bring about social change in society. Studies have also investigated music’s use by political groups and parties in the past and present that impose authoritarian, neoliberal or even fascist political ideas. Finally, research is concerned with the promise and myth of democratization through technology in regard to music production, distribution and reception/appropriation.

The  isaScience Conference will consider music and democracy from a wide range of disciplines (e.g. musicology, ethnomusicology, music sociology, cultural studies, queer studies, postcolonial studies, arts and cultural management).