Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-8ctnn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T15:49:17.335Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Talking ‘Privilege’: barriers to musical attainment in adolescents’ talk of musical role models

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 March 2009

Antonia Ivaldi  and
Susan O'Neill
Antonia Ivaldi*
Affiliation:
Royal Northern College of Music, 124 Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9RD, [email protected]
Susan O'Neill
Affiliation:
Don Wright Faculty of Music, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, CanadaN6A [email protected]
*
Corresponding author: Antonia Ivaldi
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Using a discursive approach, this study explores the ways that adolescents construct the notion of social status and ‘being privileged’ through their talk about musician role models. Drawing on social identity theory (see Tajfel, 1978), we examined how adolescents moved between the relational ‘in’ and ‘out’ groups of being privileged versus being disadvantaged as a framework for discussing classical and popular musician role models. Seven focus groups were conducted, each composed of male and female adolescent musicians and non-musicians aged 14–15 years. Participants were asked to discuss 19 pictures of famous classical and popular musicians, commenting on whether they were familiar or unfamiliar figures, and whether they were liked or disliked and the reasons why. Through their talk, the adolescents constructed and negotiated a complex understanding of musical subcultures, whereby high levels of expertise and success were perceived within the notion of privilege. Findings suggest that adolescents' perceptions of privilege may act as a barrier or constraint to their exploration of alternative conceptualisations of musical expertise and success, thereby limiting their own musical aspirations.

Type
Research Article
Information
British Journal of Music Education , Volume 26 , Issue 1 , March 2009 , pp. 43 - 56
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

ABRAMS, D. & HOGG, M. A. (1990) ‘An introduction to the social identity approach’, in Abrams, D. & Hogg, M. A. (Eds), Social Identity Theory (pp. 1–9). London: Harvester Wheatsheaf.Google Scholar
ANTAKI, C., CONDOR, S. & LEVINE, M. (1996) ‘Social identities in talk: speakers’ own orientations’, British Journal of Social Psychology, 35, 473–492.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
APPLE, M. (2001) Educating the ‘Right’ Way: Markets, Standards, God and Inequality. New York: Routledge/Falmer Press.Google Scholar
BILLIG, M. (1992) Talking of the Royal Family. London: SageGoogle Scholar
BILLIG, M. (1996) Arguing and Thinking. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
BOURDIEU, P. (1984) Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgement of Taste. (Translated by Nice, R.). Boston, MA: Harvard University Press.Google Scholar
BROMNICK, R. D. & SWALLOW, B. L. (1999) ‘I like being who I am: a study of young people's ideals’, Educational Studies, 25 (2), 117–129.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
BURR, V. (1995) An Introduction to Social Constructionism. London: Routledge.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
CARABINE, J. (1996) ‘Questioning representing the other’, in Wilkinson, S. & Kitzinger, C. (Eds), Representing the Other (pp. 165–169). London: Sage.Google Scholar
DAVIES, B. & HARRÉ, R. (1990) ‘Positioning: the discursive production of selves’, Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour, 20 (1), 43–63.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
DUCK, J. M. (1990) ‘Children's ideals: the role of real-life versus media figures’, Australian Journal of Psychology, 42 (1), 19–29.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
FESTINGER, L. (1954) ‘A theory of social comparison processes’, Human Relations, 7, 117–140.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
IVALDI, A. & O'NEILL, S. A. (2008) ‘Adolescents’ musical role models: whom do they admire and why?’, Psychology of Music, 36 (2), 1–21.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
JOHNSON, A. G. (2001) Privilege, Power, and Difference. Mountainview, CA: Mayfield Publishing.Google Scholar
KITZINGER, C. & WILKINSON, S. (1996) ‘Theorizing representing the other’, in Wilkinson, S. & Kitzinger, C. (Eds), Representing the Other (pp. 1–32). London: Sage.Google Scholar
MCLAREN, P. (1995) Critical Pedagogy and Predatory Culture: Oppositional Politics in a Postmodern Age. London and New York: Routledge.Google Scholar
MEZIROW, J. (1991) Transformative Dimensions of Adult Learning. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.Google Scholar
MULVEY, A., TERENZIO, M., HILL, J., BOND, M. A., HUYGENS, I., HAMERTON, H. R. & CAHILL, S. (2000) ‘Stories of relative privilege: power and social change in feminist community psychology’, American Journal of Community Psychology, 28 (6), 883–911.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
O'NEILL, S. A. (2006) ‘Positive youth musical engagement’, in McPherson, G. (Ed.), The Child as Musician: A Handbook of Musical Development (pp. 461–474). Oxford: Oxford University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
O'NEILL, S. A. (in press) ‘Learning in and through musical performance: understanding cultural diversity via inquiry and dialogue’, in Barrett, M. (Ed.), A Cultural Psychology for Music Education. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
POTTER, J., & WETHERELL, M. (1987) Discourse and Social Psychology. London: Sage.Google Scholar
RAVIV, A., BAR-TAL, D., RAVIV, A. & BEN-HORIN, A. (1996) ‘Adolescent idolisation of pop singers: causes, expression and reliance’, Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 25 (5), 631–650.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
TAJFEL, H. (1978) Differentiation between Social Groups: Studies in the Social Psychology of Intergroup Relations. London: Academic Press.Google Scholar
TARRANT, M., NORTH, A. C. & HARGREAVES, D. J. (2002) ‘Youth identity in music’, in MacDonald, R. A. R., Hargreaves, D. J. & Miell, D. (Eds), Musical Identities (pp. 134–150). Oxford: Oxford University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
WIDDICOMBE, S. & WOOFFITT, R. (1995) The Language of Youth Subcultures. London: Harvester Wheatsheaf.Google Scholar