Music: A Tool for Social and Political Change in Global Culture and Society

Student’s name
Course Code
Professor
Date
Music: A Tool for Social and Political Change in Global Culture and Society
Music, just like many industries, can be reviewed from a socio-political dimension. De-Miguel-Molina and Santamarina-Campos (2021) refer to music as a “vibrant, highly resilient sector that has been consistently evolving (p.139).” Like technology and the internet, music has experienced a fascinating revolution, pushing corporations to adapt to new environments. In contemporary society, music has been employed to express dissent, promote social justice, and inspire political activism. This paper will explore the relationship between music and sociopolitical change, how it affects global culture, and its potential to inspire positive change in contemporary society.
Music and Social Change
Music as a tool for social change can be traced back to the ages of 19th-century African American spirituals to the 1960s protest songs. In Georgia, it has helped in promoting social change and reconciliation. After the 2008 Russo-Georgian war, entertainers from both sides of the conflict began to use their art to bridge divides and promote understanding. These efforts helped break down barriers and create opportunities for dialogue and mutual understanding (Salter & Yousuf, 2016). The music further promotes a more inclusive, pluralistic vision of society that embraces diversity and difference. As a result of the ensuing uproar on the policing of LGBTQ, various riots have been observed worldwide. Pride, as Pina indicates, is an institution in the central trajectory of gay rights movements. He further indicates that the war for gay rights has expanded into the on media (Pina, p.2). Tan (2018) notes that 92% of all LGBTQ+ are self-proclaimed music fans. Music related to homosexuality is increasingly infiltrating the music scene, which has highly impacted the visibility and acceptance of LGBTQ+ consumers within the larger community (Tan, p1). As a result, the issue also requires political will, sustained engagement, and a commitment to building trust and empathy across divides.
Music and Politics
Music has been a prevailing tool for political change in many parts of the world. Performers have employed their artistry and talent to speak out against government oppression and advocate for human rights in various contexts. Na‘puti and Frain (2017) discuss how the theme of the FestPac festivals, "What we own, what we have, what we share, United voices of the Pacific," was a platform for artists to demand demilitarization and address the decolonization of Oceania through art and music (p.4). Music has a long history of serving as a source of solidarity in politics and social movements, allowing artists to empower marginalized communities peacefully. Torrey (2021) emphasizes the ability of music to convey messages and educate participants in social movements, using Beyonce's "Freedom" and Janelle Monae's "Americans" to highlight the voices of women of color and the "Black Lives Matter" movement in the 2016 US presidential elections (p.16). These songs brought these issues to the forefront of popular culture when women and people of color were being silenced.
Governments in Africa have pressured broadcasters to censor music they perceive to be critical of state affairs. This censorship has banned various music forms, restricting artistic expression (Drewett). For instance, Independent Capital Radio in South Africa was forced to avoid playing overtly anti-apartheid music to retain its licenses. Furthermore, in 2018, China imposed censorship on Hip Hop music, which consequently affected other music genres. Musicians could not engage with violent or deviant topics but instead focused on sexual connotations (Nie, n.p.). These forms of government censorship illustrate how music can be suppressed to control societal discourse and limit artistic freedom.
Music and Global Culture
In the current era of globalization, music serves as a crucial medium for propagating culture, whereby artistic creativity becomes a means through which individuals connect with their immediate social and cultural environments. Music allows individuals to identify and reflect with one another through recognizable linguistic expressions, and its role in producing and reproducing national culture and identity cannot be overstated. Notably, Tahereh of Iran, a renowned poet, is reported to have publicly appeared without veiling her head, a practice considered illegal at the time (Zahedi, p.79). In advocating for the status of women in 19th-century Iran, Tahereh's defense highlights the significance of the veil as a means of determining one's beliefs and social class over time (p.85). Similarly, the intercultural communication between Islamic culture and Pop has become increasingly pronounced in Indonesia. With Indonesia being the largest consumer of K-POP, a contemporary form of pop music originating from South Korea, the Hijab has emerged as a fashionable trend, carrying connotative meanings such as Islamic radicalization and resistance against western influence (Yoon, p.5). As K-Pop is closely tied ...