Patriotism and Nationalism in Music Education

Download or read book Patriotism and Nationalism in Music Education written by Prof Dr Alexandra Kertz-Welzel and published by Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.. This book was released on 2012-11-01 with total page 286 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Music has long served as an emblem of national identity in educational systems throughout the world. Patriotic songs are commonly considered healthy and essential ingredients of the school curriculum, nurturing the respect, loyalty and 'good citizenship' of students. But to what extent have music educators critically examined the potential benefits and costs of nationalism? Globalization in the contemporary world has revolutionized the nature of international relationships, such that patriotism may merit rethinking as an objective for music education. The fields of 'peace studies' and 'education for international understanding' may better reflect current values shared by the profession, values that often conflict with the nationalistic impulse. This is the first book to introduce an international dialogue on this important theme; nations covered include Germany, the USA, South Africa, Australia, Finland, Taiwan, Singapore and Canada.