CFP: Music, Diplomacy, Propaganda, Online/Montréal, 20 Jun and 16-18 Oct 2025
AMS Office
Music, Diplomacy, Propaganda: Towards New Definitions [Two-Part Participatory Workshop]
What is music diplomacy, what is music propaganda, and what makes it possible to distinguish one from the other – not only from the internal perspective of players involved, but also and primarily from research’s external perspective? Organized as part of an interdisciplinary research project aimed at (re)thinking the distinction between music diplomacy and music propaganda, the purpose of this participatory workshop is to offer a space for group reflection on these fundamental questions. It takes place in two complementary and inextricably linked parts:
1) A half-day online seminar for theoretical and conceptual reflection (June 20, 2025);
2) A three-day in-person gathering to discuss case studies (October 16-18, 2025).
Proposals for the second part of the workshop may address any of the following questions, or any other question related to the definitions of music diplomacy and/or music propaganda:
• What is music diplomacy and what forms can it take?
• What is music propaganda and what forms can it take?
• What are the boundaries between diplomacy and propaganda in music? (This line of questioning can take the form of a theoretical reflection, a literature review, a study of the factors that can influence the choice of one term or the other in a certain context, an analysis of the consequences and implications of this choice, etc.)
• How do the concepts of music diplomacy and music propaganda interact with related concepts, such as education or imperialism?
• How have music diplomacy and/or music propaganda evolved through time?
• What are the specificities of music diplomacy or propaganda compared to diplomacy or propaganda borne by other forms of cultural expression?
• How does interdisciplinary work influence the study of music diplomacy and/or music propaganda? How do we approach these notions in musicology, history, sociology, political science, communications, philosophy, etc., and how can we combine different approaches to achieve a more complete analysis?
In addition to the round tables, the October 2025 gathering will include a keynote presented by Danielle Fosler-Lussier, author of numerous essential works on music diplomacy.
The workshop’s languages are French and English.
Proposals must be submitted electronically before October 1, 2024. The full call for proposals can be viewed at: https://musiqueetpolitique.oicrm.org