Music Therapy: A Perspective from the Humanities
- Author: Ruud, Even
- ISBN: 9781891278549
- E-ISBN: 9781891278808
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In this book, Even Ruud argues for the value of humanities as a basis for the theory and practice of music therapy. With the humanities he includes a broad range of academic disciplines, such as those from the social sciences as well as from philosophy, education, and not least, systematic musicology. Through ten chapters, the author discusses some basic principles of a humanistic outlook and how these may affect music therapy. He takes departure from the relational turn in psychotherapy and discusses concepts such as communicative musicality, “thirdness” in improvisation and the concept of recognition, as it relates to critical philosophy. Continuing the thread from his earlier book, Ruud goes on to discuss musical identity, but this time from a developmental point of view, i.e. how music serves different functions in the formation of our identities throughout life. Basic to the humanistic outlook on music therapy will be a concern for our conception of music, and how we deal with aesthetic theories. Drawing from the recent philosophies of body and gesture, Ruud suggests a bodily foundation for the experience of meaning in music, with implication for our understanding of therapeutic improvisation, such as in creative music therapy, or listening, as exemplified by the BMGIM-approach. The next chapters deal with clinical perspectives, and theories from empowerment theory, and notions on health and quality of life lead into a chapter on community music therapy. A whole chapter is also devoted to philosophies of science. In his concluding chapter, Ruud announces a new direction for music therapy, how the everyday musicking through smart phones and mp3-technology may initiate a new area in the use of music as self-caring technology. (ISBN 13: 978-1-891278-54-9, 2010, 209 pages, hardback).
Contents
Foreword
Chapter 1
The Tradition from the Humanities 1
A Field of Struggle—A Culture of Questioning / 4
Roles and Identities / 5
Cosmologies of Music and Healing / 8
Nonverbal Meanings / 9
History as Legitimation / 12
Basic Principles of a Humanistic Outlook / 15
Caring for the Individual and the Respect for Human Dignity / 16
Empathy / 17
Critical Aspects / 18
Self-determination / 18
Symbols, Metaphors and Meanings / 19
Chapter 2
The Relational Turn 21
Basic Needs / 21
Communicative Musicality / 23
The Lullaby as a Communicative Event / 26
Affect Attunement, RIGS, and Lived Stories / 29
“Thirdness” and Improvisation / 32
Recognition as a Philosophical Basis / 34
Further Relational Aspects / 36
Chapter 3
Musical Identity in a Developmental Perspective 37
Senses of Self-in-Relationship / 39
Competency and Empowerment / 41
Individuality and Autonomy / 42
Values and Authenticities / 45
Consolidation and Regulation / 47
Recollection and Integration / 48
Performing Identity in Music Therapy / 50
Music and Identity in Action / 51
Ethical Responsibility / 51
Self-knowledge / 52
Working with Clients / 53
Chapter 4
Musical Meaning in Music Therapy 54
The Concept of Musical Affordance / 59
Embodied Meaning in Music / 61
A Cognitive Perspective / 63
Improvisation and Gestural Communication as Being-in-Time-Together / 66
The Body in Musical Communication / 68
Chapter 5
Dimensions of Aesthetics in Music Therapy 73
Functions of Music in Music Therapy / 75
Aesthetics as Performative Acts / 78
Music Centered? / 79
A Note on Analysis and Music Therapy / 82
Chapter 6
Enabling and Empowerment 87
Positive Psychology / 88
Strengths and Resources / 90
Positive Emotions / 92
Principles of Empowerment / 96
Goals, Needs, and Resources / 97
Looking for Community Support / 97
Corroboration and Recognition / 98
Empowerment as both Approach and Goal / 98
From Empowerment to Citizenship / 98
Disempowering Soundscapes / 99
Silence—an Enabling Condition / 100
Chapter 7
Health and Quality of Life 102
Performance of Health, Identity, and Lifestyle / 105
Health, the Eudaimonic Approach and the Good Life / 107
Health as Participation—the Missing Link / 108
Musicking for Life Quality / 110
Health is Relational / 112
Vitality and Self-expression / 112
Competency and Empowerment Through Mindful Practice / 113
Music as Social Capital / 115
Meaning and Coherence in Life / 117
Chapter 8
Systemic Aspects 120
A Critical Tradition / 120
Context / 122
Culture / 122
The Concept of Illness and the Definition of
Music Therapy / 123
Ecological and Environmental Music Therapy / 124
Performance-based Music Therapy / 126
Toward a Community Music Therapy / 126
Definitions / 128
Four examples / 130
Communal Musicking / 130
Music Inside and Outside of Prison / 132
Music with Hospitalized Children / 132
Music Therapy in Rehabilitation / 133
Chapter 9
Reflexivity and the Philosophy of Science 139
Reflexivity / 140
Empirical Documentation / 141
From Positivism to Phenomenology / 142
The Need for Interpretation / 144
Hermeneutics / 145
The Need for Criticism / 149
Critical Theory / 149
Reflexivity in Language / 152
Postmodern Currents / 152
Chapter 10
Musicking as Self-care 157
Music as a Cultural Immunogen—Three Narratives / 161
The Theologian Who Cured His Asthma with Singing / 161
Musicking as a Catalyst for Stress And Anger / 165
Overcoming Depression and Social Phobia / 167
Musical Strategies / 170
Improvisation, Composing/Songwriting, and Performing Music / 171
Performance / 173
Listening as Self-care / 173
Music Affords New Actions / 178
Sources
Literature