“Now you see it, now you don’t”. On the challenge of inclusion in the perspective of children’s everyday musical play

Abstract

ABSTRACT. - This article discusses children’s musical play and inclusion in everyday life settings. The Norwegian Framework Plan for the Content and Tasks of Kindergartens (2011) states that staff must “ensure that children extend their understanding of cultural similarities and differences, and work towards creating an inclusive environment that counteracts bullying and racism”. The Framework Plan has, however, been criticized for its lack of consideration of the theoretical and discursive background of the concept of diversity, and for leaving much of the important work on inclusion in kindergarten to the attention and reflection of each professional (Otterstad & Andersen 2012). This article sets out to deconstruct and make visible some aspects that seem taken for granted. Taking an empirical example of children’s musical play as its point of departure, the lack of adequate interpretative repertoires to describe and latch on to unfamiliar ways of relating to music will be addressed. In addition, the article points out that the fear of “othering” marginalized children may come in the way of inclusion. This point will be discussed with respect to how the gaze of whiteness works in relation to children’s musical everyday lives, and how children themselves oftentimes constitute children’s musical culture in ways that sustain parallel cultures rather than a joint culture. Finally, it will be argued that in order to work against a one-dimensional understanding of musical diversity, uncertainty and doubt will need to be understood as positive and productive resources.- Key words: Children’s culture, musical play, inclusion, diversity, whiteness