The social dynamics of musical upbringing and schooling in the Norwegian welfare state

The research project 'The social dynamics of musical upbringing and schooling in the Norwegian welfare state' (DYNAMUS) explores how music can be a means of inclusion, but also of exclusion, in a variety of dynamic contexts in which education and socialisation take place. Furthermore, the project investigates to what extent and in what ways music-related learning and teaching might be connected to social (im)mobility. The aim is to gain a deeper understanding of the cultural prerequisites underlying the Norwegian knowledge society and the welfare state, with a specific focus on the role of the social dynamics of music. One of the most important premises of the project is that the dynamics of society are largely based on a symbolic economy that works next to the material one, according to which what is considered legitimate culture is continually negotiated. Within the frames of this cultural economy, music stands out as one of the most value-laden cultural expressions. Consequently, music and music education constitute important arenas for the battles fought with regard to cultural taste, and this is mirrored in the fact that the field is characterised by extensive and ongoing processes of inclusion and exclusion; of recognition and disregard. Within the DYNAMUS project, such processes have been investigated through three interconnected sub-projects, which together explore a wide range of formal, non-formal and informal arenas for music teaching and learning: 1) The media-musical realities of children and youth such as they appear through recorded music, television programs and social media. In particular, the online environment of YouTube has been investigated as an arena in which human and machine have become interlinked. Perceptions of music productions and talent are therefore seen as constructed at the user interface and understood as communicative products of the 'musical cyborg'; a process described as 'cyborg talentification'. Thus, the creativity, knowledge sharing, and cultural development facilitated by YouTube are emphasized, identifying it as a creative, interactive and important tool for music teaching, learning and curriculum development. Issues concerning 'musical parenting' are also discussed in relation to children’s media-musical culture, not least from a socio-economic perspective. 2) The compulsory-school music education that is made available to all children growing up in Norway. A national survey on the content of music teaching forms the basis for research into what kind of functions music genre has in the classroom, and how teachers' genre practices contribute to the construction of 'knowledge' in the subject. Of particular interest to DYNAMUS is whether different constructions of genre contribute to the reconstruction of cultural distinctions and social structures. Furthermore, an interesting result is that the survey contradicts findings from the latest studies from Statistics Norway as we find most music teachers to have formal education in music, and no differences in formal competence between teachers across grades. 3) The music education provided by extra-curricular schools of music and performing arts. The results of the national survey conducted indicates that popular music is well included in Norwegian schools of music and arts (SMPA). However, only a few schools teach Sámi music or music stemming from African and/or Asian cultures. Nonetheless, the survey somehow contradicts findings from the conducted discourse analysis of the framework plans, which indicates that the SMPA system still is heavily embedded in the tradition of Western classical music. Timewise, DYNAMUS spans the period from WWII until today, and the design of the project has enabled investigation of the musical upbringing and schooling that happens from early childhood to late adolescence (ages 0-19).

DYNAMUS’ virkninger og effekter kan beskrives i 4 relaterte dimensjoner: 1. Prosjektet har bidratt til original begreps- og teoriutvikling av musikkpedagogikk, medieteori, kultur- og utdanningssosiologi, samt barndomsforskning og -sosiologi. 2. Prosjektet har frambrakt resultater som har betydning for følgende forskningsfelt: Innenfor medie-musikalsk barnekulturforskning vil forskningsresultatene som omhandler tradisjonelle (barne-tv) og sosiale (YouTube) medier bidra til økt bevissthet om musikk og mediers samfunnsmessige funksjon og betydning for barns refleksjon omkring kjønn, etnisitet og klasse. Undersøkelsen av musikkfaget i grunnskolen løfter fram og problematiserer dets demokratiserende funksjon. Dette har umiddelbar og langsiktig nytteverdi for forsknings- og utdanningsfeltet, ikke minst siden resultatene tilbyr nye teoretiske begreper og fortolkninger for å forstå undervisningen. DYNAMUS møter også behovet for å vite mer om hva som foregår i skolens musikkundervisning. Dette er viktig for at strategiske utdanningspolitiske satsinger og prioriteringer skal gjøres på bakgrunn av forskningsbasert kunnskap om innhold og kvalitet i skolen. Kulturskolestudien har frambrakt ny kunnskap om innholdet i musikkundervisningen. DYNAMUS har også utviklet ny kunnskap om kulturskolens betydning og strategier for inkludering og tilpasning lokalt. Utover å ha betydning for skoleledelse, kommunalt forvaltningsnivå, samt for Kulturskolerådet, vil kunnskapen ha betydning på et overordnet utdanningspolitisk nivå. 3. DYNAMUS har bidratt til å bygge opp nasjonale og internasjonale forskernettverk samt nettverk innenfor obligatorisk og frivillig musikkundervisning, som omfatter så vel forskere og pedagoger som interesseorganisasjoner og utdanningspolitiske aktører. Eksempler på internasjonal aktivitet er at DYNAMUS i 2021 arrangerte The 12th International Symposium on the Sociology of Music Education Online med 262 deltakere og at internasjonalt ledende forskerne ble invitert til vårt symposium Ways Ahead for Research in Children’s Music i 2022. Eksempler på bredere nettverk er at en DYNAMUS-forsker jevnlig har blitt invitert som jurymedlem ved den internasjonale barne-tv-festivalen Prix Jeunesse/IZI i München, og at DYNAMUS i 2022 arrangerte seminaret Musikkopplæring for barn og unge i Norge, hvor alle forskningsprosjekter på feltet, samt berørte organisasjoner som Creo, Kulturtanken, Musikk i skolen, Norsk kulturskoleråd og Norsk musikkråd deltok. Det ble dermed initiert et nasjonalt forum for videre samarbeid. DYNAMUS-forskere blir jevnlig invitert til internasjonale ekspertkomiteer, keynotes ved internasjonale konferanser, og som bidragsytere til internasjonale antologier og handbooks. 4. DYNAMUS har bidratt til kompetanseheving: En førsteamanuensis har fått opprykk til professor, postdoktoren og en ph.d.-stipendiat har blitt ansatt som førsteamanuenser ved Høgskolen i Innlandet, mens den andre ph.d.-stipendiaten er tilsatt ved Universitetet i Stavanger.

The DYNAMUS project focuses and examines processes of cultural inclusion/exclusion and social (im)mobility in the musical upbringing and schooling of children and youth in the post-WWII era of the Norwegian society. Thus, it aims to gain a deeper understanding of the cultural prerequisites underlying the development of the Norwegian knowledge society and the welfare state, with a specific focus on the social dynamics of music in this regard. The project rests on the premise that the dynamics of society are largely based on a symbolic economy that works next to the material one, according to which what is considered legitimate culture is continually negotiated. Within this symbolic or cultural economy, music stands out among the most essential and value-laden cultural expressions. Therefore, the social and cultural significance of music and music education must be reflected as both positive and negative outcomes as well as inclusive and exclusive processes. The project is organised as three interconnected research areas: 1) children's media-musical culture since WWII; 2) compulsory school music education in the post-war era; 3) schools of music and performing arts. Together they span from early childhood to late adolescence (0-19) and cover arenas for informal learning and non-formal and formal education. The three areas are considered as intensity cases which are rich in information and clearly exhibit the project objectives. The project design allows for both within-case and cross-case analyses. The expected outcome of the research is to provide knowledge about the cultural premises for the shaping of society and social development as well as about how education may improve and ensure societal integration and inclusion. The latter is crucial in today's society facing migration and rapid demographic change. The results have implications for the politics of education, culture and aesthetics, as well as people's agency in society, education and their personal lives.