Here and Nowhere: A Critical Analysis of Geomusicology

Abstract

Geomusicology, the study of the geography of music, encompasses themes such as patriotism, politics, sense of identity, history, ethnicity, and more, making it a crucial, if often overlooked component of geopolitics. As a relatively new field of research, geomusicology warrants more attention to determine its ability to contribute to geopolitics. However, the major themes of the field are at times contradictory and abstract, calling for a subtle and nuanced understanding of research in the field. This paper provides an overview of some major literature in geomusicology and concludes that most researchers in the field believe that music is both anchored by place and universal at the same time. Using a critical approach to geopolitics, this paper thus debates the strengths and weakness of geomusicology with recommendations on how to further evolve the field to contribute to a fuller understanding of geopolitics as a whole.