Voicing the unheard

In this book, researchers give the floor to people of minorities in the world who, through their music, express their will to assert their identity. Whether they are immigrants or a minorized population on their own land, musicians often champion a discourse that is both nostalgic and affirmative of a difference. Difference with the prevailing environment, often in a nation-state, which tries to assimilate its minorities as it is the case with the Kaale in Finland, but also for a minority positioning itself within a minority. These new approaches are the subject of unpublished studies whether they concern Christian Arabs in Israel, Muslims in Bali, Kurds and Alevis considered as Turks in Germany, or Dalit women in India. How to promote these differences ? Mediatisation by means of record productions or radio programs is still working. We see it through the provocative broadcasting of erotic songs from Okinawa in a conservative Japan or through the success of a North Korean band immigrated in South Korea with unheard of neo-political repertoire. The choice for local languages, but also the yet ambivalent big events like the Khamoro festival, devoted to Roma music, give examples of strategies to access recognition.

Some 15 papers from recognized researchers coming from 14 different countries put forth situations observed and analyzed on about 20 meaningful cases and fieldworks in the world. All of the articles have an abstract in English, translated into French and in their original native language for some of them.