Ethnomusicology and Cultural Diplomacy

Music has long played a prominent role in cultural diplomacy, but until now no resource has comparatively examined policies that shape how non-western countries use music in international relations. Inspired by decolonization, this book describes policies and legal frameworks that impact music’s role in cultural diplomacy worldwide.

Music has long played a prominent role in cultural diplomacy, but until now no resource has comparatively examined policies that shape how non-western countries use music for international relations. Ethnomusicology and Cultural Diplomacy, edited by scholars David G. Hebert and Jonathan McCollum, demonstrates music's role in international relations worldwide. Specifically, this book offers "insider" views from expert contributors writing about music as a part of cultural diplomacy initiatives in Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, Syria, Japan, China, India, Vietnam, Ethiopia, South Africa, and Nigeria. Unique features include the book’s emphasis on diverse legal frameworks, decolonial perspectives, and cultural policies that serve as a basis for how nations outside “the west” use music in their relationships with Europe and North America.

Table of Contents

Preface: Why this Topic and these Authors

David G. Hebert

Part I: Introduction to Music and Cultural Diplomacy

Chapter One: Introduction: Ethnomusicology as a Resource for Cultural Diplomacy

David G. Hebert

Chapter Two: International Soft Law and the Promotion of Musical Rights

Marja Heimonen and David G. Hebert

Part II: Middle Eastern Perspectives

Chapter Three: “A Very Beautiful Image of Afghanistan”: Cultural Diplomacy through Music Education and Performance

Lauren Braithwaite

Chapter Four: Music Festivals and Cultural Diplomacy in Uzbekistan

Elnora Mamadjanova and David G. Hebert

Chapter Five: Sufi Voices: Music as a Unifying Pathway toward the Divine

Chaden Yafi

Chapter Six: Soft War and Multilateral Musical Pathways in Iran

Nasim Niknafs

PART III: East Asian Views

Chapter Seven: Cultural Diplomacy in Collaborative Artistic Projects between China and Europe

Marianne Løkke Jakobsen and David G. Hebert

Chapter Eight: A Gap in Cultural Policy: Non-Japanese Experiences of Learning Japanese Music

Koji Matsunobu

Chapter Nine: Cultural Diplomacy and Transculturation through the History of Vọng Cổ in Vietnam

Nguyễn Thanh Thủy and Stefan Östersjö

PART IV: African Insights

Chapter Ten: Cultural Policies and Music Production Across Ethiopian Regimes: A Historical Study

Abraha Weldu and Jan Magne Steinhovden

Chapter Eleven: Musical Activism from South Africa: The “Soft Power” of Cultural Diplomacy

Ambigay Yudkoff

Chapter Twelve: Intercultural Relations in Church Music of Nigeria and South Africa

Rhoda Abiolu

PART V: Legal Perspectives from Asia

Chapter Thirteen: Cultural Heritage and Music Diplomacy: The Legal Framework in India

Karan Choudhary

Chapter Fourteen: China’s Legal Framework Supporting Protection and Sustainability of Artistic Heritage

Juqian Li

Part VI: Conclusion: Rethinking Music Heritage and Cultural Diplomacy

Chapter Fifteen: Toward Global Models and Benchmarks for Music Diplomacy

David G. Hebert and Jonathan McCollum