Music, Business and Peace

Yes, I had a little difficulty, too, but I’m here.

So let’s go with this as our first question: • What are the most important contributions of music to peace-building? If partnered with business, how does business help sustain the contributions of music to peace-building?

Welcome everyone to the live segment of this discussion!

Can I start by asking all our panellists to introduce themselves?

Nice to have everyone here!

I wonder if this has to do with the idea that beauty moves people to want to be involved and connected with what is beautiful. It opens people’s hearts.

Hello, Tim asked if we’d like to introduce ourselves… this is Olivier, good to “see” everyone again.

I am Kathleen Higgins, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Texas at Austin.

Connie Cook Glen - Indiana University

I think there are several potential ways. One of which is that music may hep foster relationships. For example, in business consulting, I often have people tell stories about what they think is important. What I find is that even when the stories are very different, the fact that people do have stories draw them together. I think music can have the same impact Even if we like different music, the phenomena of knowing that we share an interest in music can foster a relationship

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Nancy Love, Professor of Political Science, Appalachian State U.

Oops sorry. Tim Fort Kelley School of Business, Indiana University

Should have said: Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University.

Ok let’s kick off with the first question!

And to be more complete, Olivier Urbain, director of the Min-On Music Research Institute (MOMRI) in Tokyo.

I think that music often motivates people to want to participate, even if just by singing along or tapping a foot. This puts people in a state of readiness to join in with others, and perhaps this can extend to a cooperative attitude more generally.

So yes – fostering relationships is an essential part of peace-building. What about fostering shared emotions? I think that is a difficult question.

Just repeating my first comment, which otherwise is kind of out of sequence

I think there are several potential ways. One of which is that music may hep foster relationships. For example, in business consulting, I often have people tell stories about what they think is important. What I find is that even when the stories are very different, the fact that people do have stories draw them together. I think music can have the same impact Even if we like different music, the phenomena of knowing that we share an interest in music can foster a relationship

Yes, relationships, and participation are major advantages provided by musicking. These show that music helps us bypass language.

  1. What are the most important contributions of music to peacebuilding? If partnered with business, how does business help sustain the contributions of music to peacebuilding?

Music allows for communication beyond words, which removes the limitations imposed by

  • verbal expression
  • different languages
  • agendas, histories infusing verbal communication.

Music can also amplify the power of lyrics. In the case of lyrics that are important for peacebuilding, music has a major role to play.
For instance to promote a constructive message, or to denounce and expose sources of violence we were not fully aware of.

Regarding business, in cases where musical activities are not sustainable in the local economy, business expertise could help make them so.

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In the lead up to our event today, several of my students contributed with the notions that participating is something music really does do. It could be full-blown signing (as I am prone to do) but as Kathleen indicates, the toe-tapping also helps us participate

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Which emotions are stirred up and how those emotions are directed has an impact on how music might contribute to peace-building. Music that is catchy but associated with one group opposes another can do just the opposite.

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