Exploring the Effects of Music and Dance in Peacebuilding
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© COPYRIGHT by Kathryn M. Lance 2012 DEDICATION For James R. Lance who opened my ears to a passion for music, my mind to a path of peace and justice, and my heart to the power of healing, & to my dear cousin and guide, Brian C. Storniolo for his eternal inspiration. BREAKIN’ BEATS & BUILDING PEACE: EXPLORING THE EFFECTS OF MUSIC & DANCE IN PEACEBUILDING By Kathryn M. Lance ABSTRACT Music and dance offer creative means through which victims of conflict can express their pain, find healing, and move toward reconciliation. But, these arts are generally overlooked within the peacebuilding field. Peacebuilding practitioners lack a thorough understanding of how to strategically incorporate them into their work. This is largely due to the scarcity of substantial theory and research on arts-based practices, especially music and dance-based initiatives. This thesis seeks to move beyond general, simplistic assumptions about these arts to a deeper analysis of how music and dance function in peacebuilding and what effects they elicit in victims of conflict. It does this through an analysis of interviews with nineteen peacebuilding practitioners who have used music and/or dance to promote peace across cultures and conflict contexts. This thesis outlines two different approaches as well as tangible and intangible effects of music and dance-based peacebuilding. ii ACKNOWLEGEMENTS . people come in and out of your life, sometimes for a day, sometimes for longer, and all of them make you what you are. You can’t separate these people out of you; they form who you are . —Tori Amos, Scarlet Stories: A Sorta Fairytale This thesis is the fruit of many months of academic work and years of life experience. It would not have been possible without the wisdom, support, and guidance from an endless amount of family members, friends, and mentors of whom only a fraction can be mentioned here. First, I am forever grateful to my thesis chair and advisor, Dr. Reina Neufeldt who planted the seed for this thesis, and has been there without fail through its budding to its fruition, as well as my second reader, Prof. Mohammed Abu- Nimer for his guidance and careful eye. Their constant support and sage advice have been invaluable in shaping this thesis. I am also grateful for additional support from Drs. John King, Naren Kumarakulasingam, Christos Kyrou, Susan Shepler, and Anthony Wanis-St. John. A huge thanks to Rebecca Davis for her endless efforts in finding a quiet space for my interviews on campus, my “thesis support group” for their ideas, insight, and cheers of encouragement, and The Dav for their 40 cent Americanos that got me through many early mornings and late nights. Mari Fitzduff, Margaret Smith, Craig Zelizer, Michelle LeBaron, Catherine Filloux, David Diamond, Gary Pickus, and Sondra Harnes were wonderful resources at iii the beginning stages of this study. I am also indebted to all of my anonymous interviewees who graciously took the time to email, skype and meet with me. They each inspired me through their remarkable stories and undying determination to build peace. A special shout-out goes out to a few teachers of Wisconsin who wetted my appetite for learning and whose lessons still influence me today: Terry Kaldhusdal, Laura Beenen, Erika Chow, and Michael and Missy Weber. Vielen Dank, mille merci and muchas gracias to former professors who encouraged me to follow my heart and pursue my dreams, especially: Johannes and Marie-France Strohschänk, Martina Lindseth, Jefford Vahlbusch, Fabiola Varela Garcia, Patricia Quinn, and Monty Ernst. I am also grateful to Zack Adams, Asifa Batool, Ashley Bradford, Carrie Brandt, Sara Cady, Cassie Casillas, Cathi del Veccio, Nate Dieck, Amr El-Gendy, Khalil El- Masry, Laila Esmail, Courtneybrooke Fleager, Chris Grim, Brianna Hemauer, Lee Ann Holtschulte, Rachel Korb, Tim Kustusch, Ecaterina Locoman, Ashley McArthur, Damien Parsoud, Ruan Pethiyagoda, Malaka Refai, Elyse Shaw, Kara Shore, Jaclyn Skrivseth, Carmen Spielbichler, Kathy Aquilina, Barry Hart, Roberta Goodman, and Dorothy Van Dam along with the Richards, Kadanik, Shaddock/Bushnell, and Seitz/Skoug families for continued support and inspiration. A huge thank you goes out to my meticulous team of copy-editors: Kim Suhr, Kris Jaeger, Pam Parker, Mylène Socquet Juglard, and in particular, Judy Bridges who taught me to “Shut up & Write.” Finally, I am extremely thankful to have such an inspiring, thoughtful, creative, and supportive family. Special thanks to Lynn, Kris, Jill, and Marge Lance, and Mary “Louie” Winter. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT........................................................................................................................II ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS............................................................................................... III LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES ................................................................................ VII LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS..........................................................................................VIII Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 1 Peacebuilding through Trauma-healing and Conflict Transformation........................................ 4 Defining Peacebuilding........................................................................................................... 4 Defining Trauma and Conflict Transformation ...................................................................... 9 Research Question and Approach ............................................................................................. 12 Interviewees and Initiatives................................................................................................... 13 Thesis Overview........................................................................................................................ 15 2. LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................................. 16 Creativity in Conflict Resolution............................................................................................... 17 Arts-based Peacebuilding...................................................................................................... 19 Emotion and Memory: Trauma ................................................................................................. 25 Music and Dance: Connections Between Emotion, Trauma, and Peacebuilding.......................31 Music and Emotion ............................................................................................................... 32 Music and Dance as Trauma-healing Therapies ................................................................... 35 Music and Dance in Peacebuilding: Trauma-healing and Conflict Transformation............. 41 Chapter Summary...................................................................................................................... 46 3. METHODOLOGY ....................................................................................................... 48 Qualitative Methods in Peace Research .................................................................................... 49 Qualitative Interpretive Research .............................................................................................. 52 v Types of Initiatives and Initiative Participants...................................................................... 53 Interviewee Selection............................................................................................................ 67 Gathering Data ...................................................................................................................... 70 Data Organization and Analysis............................................................................................ 73 Addressing Bias ................................................................................................................... 76 4. FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS ..................................................................................... 78 Why Music and Dance?............................................................................................................. 78 Music and Dance-based Means to Promote Change ................................................................. 83 Exposure-based Strategies of Change................................................................................... 84 Expression-based Strategies of Change ................................................................................ 90 Shared Effects of Exposure and Expression............................................................................ 197 Increased Sense of Identity ................................................................................................... 98 Empowerment ..................................................................................................................... 105 Summary of Shared Effects ................................................................................................ 115 Ripples, Seeds, and Sustainabilty............................................................................................ 116 Summary ............................................................................................................................. 125 Limitations to Music and Dance-based Peacebuilding ........................................................... 125 Chapter Summary...................................................................................................................