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Theory for Ethnomusicology

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Theory for Ethnomusicology explores the underpinnings of various approaches to the study of world music. The text analyzes differences and commonalities in these orientations. It also explores how ethnomusicologists use these theories in ethnographic research.

256 pages, Paperback

First published August 11, 2007

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Ruth M. Stone

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Profile Image for Neil.
1,300 reviews149 followers
June 6, 2015

Ruth Stone's Theory for Ethnomusicology is a good summary of the primary theoretical emphases that ethnomusicologists have relied on, from the late 19th century through the present (though it could use an update to include some new trends). Each theory is illustrated by an example from, most often, Stone's fieldwork with the Kpelle of Liberia (research from other scholars also sometimes appears). It is basically a book-formatted version of the stack of flashcards that every ethnomusicology Ph.D. candidate has made and memorized before taking the exams. Students will probably continue to make those flashcards, but Stone's book is a helpful guide in that process. Stone proposes that ethnomusicologists do not directly talk about theory in their work as often as scholars in other disciplines do, and the discipline as suffered from that neglect.

The layout of the book is a little odd. It looks like something in-between a normal book and a textbook--not quite as flashy-looking as a textbook, but with the textbox definitions and occasional photographs more associated with a textbook layout. In fact, the photos are one of my favorite parts of the book, because they're such a strange and amusing addition. All throughout the book you get pictures of ethnomusicologists. Often, the pictures are blurry snapshots or really bad selfies. The general effect of this "Who's Who at the Society for Ethnomusicology Conference" is to make ethnomusicologists look amateurish. Does it even matter what ethnomusicologists look like?

While a valuable handbook for ethnomusicologists, the whole book could use another proofreading pass. There were many simple typos all through the book. One particularly baffling example: "The concern with the relation of music to language and various kinds of consciousness addresses the conceptual as well as a conceptual" (172). I don't think that's academic-speak; I think it's just a mistake.

Stone created this book for a graduate seminar in ethnomusicology theory, and that's the only kind of class that would use the book. Its readership has to be already interested in the topic, because there is little that would draw in a "general reader." But even the ethno grad student audience is going to find the price difficult to manage. I thought it was too expensive when I bought it several years ago for $33.00. Now, however, the Amazon price is $63.50!! The publisher does this, I presume, because they consider it a textbook, and therefore they can raise the price to several times what any other book of that size and print quality would cost. I don't know how long the textbook market can continue this way; it is truly ridiculous.

The topics covered in Theory for Ethnomusicology:

Cultural Evolutionism
Diffusionism
Structural-Functional Approaches
Linguistic Approaches
Paradigmatic Structuralism
Marxism
Literary and Dramaturgical Theories
Cognition
Communication Theory
Performance Theory
Gender
Ethnicity
Identity
Phenomenology
Experiential Ethnomusicology
Historical Research
Postmodernism
Postcolonialism
Globalization
Convergence and Divergence in Theory Today

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