Maybe Gabriel wasn`t so bad after all? How educational anthropology can serve as a research approach in the field of music education

Abstract

ABSTRACT. - The main purpose of this article is to highlight the potential of educational anthropology as a research approach in the field of music education. The article is based on my doctoral work: an ethnographic study in a Norwegian music classroom (Kamsvåg 2011). The empirical foundations of this article are from that particular study, and the discussions in the article are based on observations and interviews with one particular boy. The discussions of this student are linked to two key anthropological concepts: the theoretical term meaning and the methodological principle of the ethnographic astonishment. Through the discussion, I will illustrate how educational anthropology can help us gain new perspectives on taken-for-granted truths and assumptions in the field of music education. Such perspectives can serve as the starting point for new discussions surrounding music education practice and research. Keywords: educational anthropology, ethnography, cultural perspectives in music education research.