Music Cultural Pedagogy in the ‘Network Society’

Abstract

The present contribution to theory construction in music educational research focuses on the contemporary requirements for general music education. One starting point are the normative claims of a democratic liberal education as to find in the field of critical pedagogy and the sociology of education. Another point of departure is provided by cultural sociological and rather descriptive reflections. The latter takes concern on the increasing ephemeral sociocultural contexts in postmodern ‘network’ societies. Leitmotiv questions are how to retain the democratic function of criticism in the fluxes of everyday digital music culture. Thus, a music cultural orientated concept of learning in general education is envisaged as one that takes into account both the postmodern (post-democratic) developments as well as the modern educational requirements in the frame of democratic principles. At least, the music computer and the social (cultural) network appear as an appropriated toolkit in a music cultural pedagogy. Moreover, these tools seem to provide convenient possibilities to initiate democratic and informal music learning processes that should be accompanied by continuous critical reflection. The article closes with an outlook on further needs and teaching praxis.