Sorry for the Silence: A Contribution From Feminist Theory to the Discourse(s) Within Music Therapy
Feminism and music therapy have been little considered in the development of a theoretical framework or approach to our professional practice. This is curious given the impact of feminist approaches on a wide variety of disciplines. This paper presents some of the issues that arise when considering feminist theory/feminist approaches to music therapy and outlines some of the considerations that will appear in a forthcoming book edited by Dr. Susan Hadley and published by Barcelona Publishers. The authors take a broad approach to this topic recognising that feminism, as indeed music therapy, is not a monolithic enterprise with one key idea stamping out its territory. Rather, consideration of feminism(s) requires critical and reflective capacities in theorists and practitioners in making helpful aspects of this approach 'real' and 'meaningful' for students, practitioners and ultimately clients and patients.
Expanding music therapy practice: Incorporating the feminist frame
Feminist theorising as a perspective to practice within music therapy has received limited attention to date. In order to examine the opportunities that feminist theory offers music therapy, this paper provides (1) the historical context for contemporary feminism, (2) current applications of feminist theory documented in recent music therapy literature, and (3) a review of gender ratios based on data in the public record. While there are some notable contributions which reflect a feminist consciousness within music therapy, further work is needed to progress a feminist framework for practice.
Narrative Inquiry
Narrative inquiry is the study of human lived experience portrayed through engaging, meaningful, and personal stories. Narrative inquirers believe that "stories are the portal through which a person enters the world and by which their experience of the world is interpreted and made personally meaningful" (Connelly & Oandinin, 2006, p. 375). According to Polkinghorne (1988), humans live in three realms: the material realm, the organic realm, and the realm of meaning. He posits that the realm of meaning as structured according to narrative form is one of the most important forms for creating meaning in human existence (p. 183). While many interpretivist researchers collect or construct stories about those they are studying, narrative researchers tend to "embrace the assumption that the story is one if not the fundamental unit that accounts for human experience" (Pinnegar & Daynes, 2007, p. 4). The telling of stories has many different purposes to inform, remember, argue, justify, persuade, engage, entertain, or even to mislead (Reissman & Speedy, 2007). Telling stories can also function to empower, to create a sense of solidarity, and to enhance psychological stability and health.