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Music Performance Studies and ‘Ethnomusicology at Home’:Creating an interdisciplinary ‘site of care’
Get PDFAims/PurposeUsing a series of case studies from my research, this article reflects upon the emergence of a particular mode of enquiry into music performance, developed from ethnographic method in music and performance, informed both by performance studies and by a variety of musicological approaches. It will elucidate connection between performance studies and a line of scholarship that begins with ethnomusicology, then applied to Western Institutions and forms (Born, 1995; Stock, 1998; DeNora, 2000; Cottrell, 2004) and incorporating interdisciplinary and multi-functional performance models (i.e. in the theatre and in education). Such methodology holds natural but often overlooked overlaps with the ethos and methods of performance studies, as scholars in different fields have historically missed one another. In both fields (performance studies and ethnomusicology) the researcher identifies, acknowledges and incorporates their own position. Both fields incorporate the study of behaviour as performance, i.e. ‘what people do in the activity of their doing it’ (Schechner, 2020: 1). Most importantly, and central to this article, in both cases the very act of enquiry participates in and is effectual upon the object of enquiry. This article aims therefore to assess ways in which research into music performance might bring scholars of these disciplines closer in a more thoroughly humanistic and socially impactful form of enquiry.Content OutlineIn 2010, Georgina Born called for a ‘relational musicology’ (2010a), contextually informed within an understanding of the social means and processes of production. She envisioned that scholarship might ‘intervene in those processes to potentially creative effect’ (2010b: 199), thus inform the field it interrogates.Pam Burnard argues for new ‘post-qualitative’ methods in the study of social music interventions, and advocates for the importance of ‘paying attention’; suspending judgement, listening, holding space for the values and needs of those participating, and thus co-creating research. In this context, she asserts, ‘as a concept, affect helps us to understand’ (Burnard, 2023: 290).My own research in relational musicology, or music performance studies, includes of the following three cases studies, to be synthesised and discussed in terms of methodology, ethos and outcome:1. assessing the company Opera North, and the operation of its access agenda, acting as a democratic force in promoting and producing ‘high culture’ for the north of England (Daniel, 2010; Daniel, 2016);2. observing, in creative musical theatre-making by university students, tension with standardised assessment models, and suggestions for the future of creative learning, teaching and assessing (Daniel, 2024, submitted, in process);3. post-qualitative ethnographic enquiry into singing as educational and social intervention in a secondary school, assessed as a musical site of care (Daniel and Daniel, 2024, in process).Impact and ConclusionThis article ultimately summarises and synthesises methodology and output in three case studies, tying this research into the ethos and method of performance studies and simultaneously of ‘ethnomusicology at home’. In all case studies the act of enquiry is ‘actively involved in social practices and advocacies’ (Schechner, 2020: 2). In all cases it aims to ‘intervene [...] to potentially creative affect’ (Born, 2010b: 199). And in all cases the act of enquiry itself functions as a site of care (Burnard, 2023: 282). The article advocates for care as a central consideration in ethnographic and participatory enquiry into music performance, drawing in practice by Born, Burnard and others in relevance to the three home-grown case study examples
Teachers’ experiences of school-based mental health literacy programmes: A qualitative study of Tackling the Blues
Get PDFConcern about school pupils' mental health has increased globally. Mental health programmes in state schools, including those provided by external partners, have also expanded. However, little research exists which explores the views and experiences of teachers and other school staff on the development of coproduced, contextually tailored, mental health literacy (MHL) programmes delivered with external partners (including academic researchers and community organisations) to support pupil mental health. This paper reports new interview data from 14 teachers and 1 teaching assistant based in 8 primary schools in north-west England who were involved with a sport- and art-based MHL programme (Tackling the Blues, TtB) during the school year 2022/23. Three themes were identifiable in the interviewees' comments: (i) Externality and navigating the constraints of the national curriculum; (ii) “It's opened my eyes”: developing and enhancing mental health literacy; and (iii) Supporting inclusive and proactive mentally healthy schools. Our findings suggest that TtB provided schools and teachers the opportunity to work with external organisations committed to working with, rather than on or for, them over the school year. This collaborative approach helped align TtB to the values, ethos, and strategic priorities of the school, including existing whole-school approaches to mental health within and beyond the curriculum. External partners' complementary expertise helped build capacity for delivering MHL work flexibly in schools, strengthened teachers' confidence, and expanded their understanding of pupils' diverse mental health needs. This further strengthened programme acceptability by fostering more pupil-to-pupil conversations which were perceived to positively contribute to stigma reduction and help-seeking efficacy
‘Accumulating harm and waiting for crisis’: Parents’ perspectives of accessing Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services for their autistic child experiencing mental health difficulties
Get PDFAutistic children and young people are at increased risk of mental health difficulties, but often face barriers when seeking help from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. This study aimed to (1) explore the experiences of parents/carers seeking help from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services for their autistic child’s mental health difficulties, and (2) gain parents’ perceptions of the accessibility of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services for their child. A mixed-methods survey design was used. In total, 300 parents/carers took part from across the United Kingdom. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, and qualitative data using qualitative content analysis. Findings demonstrated ongoing struggles that parents/carers faced when seeking help from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. Those who were referred reported a lack of reasonable adjustments and offers of ineffective or inappropriate therapies. Ultimately, parents felt their child’s mental health difficulties either did not improve or declined to the point of crisis. However, there was a recognition that some professionals were kind and compassionate. There is a need for a more neuro-inclusive and personalised approach in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. Further research, funding and training are urgently needed to ensure support is accessible, timely and effective for autistic young people. Lay abstract: Autistic children and young people are more likely to experience mental health difficulties than neurotypical peers, but also face more barriers when seeking help from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. Findings highlight the need for a more neuroaffirmative approach from the professionals themselves, in the adjustments offered, and in the therapies provided. Barriers to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services for autistic children and young people include diagnostic overshadowing (i.e. assuming mental health difficulties are part of autism), high thresholds for assessment and a lack of professional knowledge about autism and care pathways. Healthcare policies should ensure that all Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services professionals receive neuroaffirmative training and that resources/funding are provided for appropriate adjustments and early support. There is also a need for further research and funding to develop and evaluate effective neuroaffirmative therapeutic interventions
Towards social justice: slowing down and attending to social justice through a community of philosophical inquiry
Get PDFEducation is dominated by economic priorities and intellectual virtues that place emphasis on individual success, yet issues of social injustice are demanding of urgent attention. My hopes for social justice are rooted in education. I consider the place of schooling for continually reimagining social justice, and to think about what it might be to live with – and respond responsibly to one another. My arguments are grounded in dialogic pedagogies, specifically, the community of philosophical inquiry, as a space to question what social justice means, what it ought to mean, and how it could be otherwise. Resisting ideas that privilege certainty of knowledge of social justice, I consider the affordances of moving deeper into an unknowing rather than a settling of knowing. I turn to Nan Shepherd’s The Living Mountain for a gentle force to render an attentiveness to thinking about what it is to know social justice
Online Peer Support and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) Informed Intervention for Caregivers of Autistic Adults with Learning Difficulties in Peru
No full textBackground: Caregivers of autistic adults with learning difficulties face unique challenges, particularly in underrepresented regions like Peru. Online interventions combining peer support and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) offer promising approaches to enhance caregiver well-being.Objectives: To evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, adherence, and impact of an online group ACT-informed intervention for caregivers in Peru.Methods: A mixed-methods, multiple-baseline experimental design was employed. Participants (N=14) were randomized to either an 8-week ACT-informed intervention or an online peer support group. Quantitative data were collected using standardized measures at baseline, post-intervention, and 5-month follow-up. Qualitative data were gathered through semi-structured interviews (n=12).Results: Preliminary qualitative analysis indicates positive outcomes for both intervention groups. Participants reported improvements in self-care, coping strategies, and emotional tolerance. Many experienced increased support and reduced isolation. Some noted positive changes in relationships with their children. Quantitative analyses are ongoing.Conclusions: Early findings suggest that online ACT-informed interventions and peer support groups may benefit caregivers of autistic adults with learning difficulties in Peru. These results highlight the potential of technology-based interventions to improve accessibility and sustainability of caregiver support in underrepresented cultural settings. Further analysis is expected to provide more comprehensive insights into the intervention's effectiveness and broader impac
Handbook of Health Services Evaluation:Theories, Methods and Innovative Practices
No full textThis handbook offers a comprehensive overview of the theories, methods and practices in evaluating health services. Written by international experts and practitioners in the field, it is an essential resource for anyone who plans or conducts evaluations of health care organisations, as well as for those who want to learn more about the strengths and limitations of specific evaluation techniques and methods.The individual chapters summarise the latest evidence and good practice of established, tried and tested evaluation approaches as well as novel and innovative evaluation techniques in clinical and health organisational settings. The handbook comprises chapters on a wide range of topics such as digital technologies, leadership in health services, trauma-informed evaluation, harm reduction in evaluation, learning health systems and collective impact design. Each chapter provides a state-of-the-art summary of the current evaluation practice together with up-to-date references to existing published research
The European Para Sport Coaching Workforce: A Quasi-Professional Space
Get PDFCoaches in Paralympic and disability sport (Para coaching) play a significant societal role by providing opportunities for disabled people in sport and physical activity. Such is its importance; this role is now recognised by the European Union and its professionalisation agenda. Therefore, drawing on Abbott’s theory of professions and Thomas’ social relational model of disability, this original transnational study considers critically the characteristics of the European Para coaching workforce. Data collection followed a mixed methodology via an online survey of Para coaches (N = 275). Combining quantitative and qualitative data, the analysis generated three higher order themes, “Exclusion, differentiated labour force and working contexts,” “Uneven coach education and development opportunities” and “Impairment effect as a source of coaches professional knowledge.” These themes illuminate Para coaching as a quasi-professional space shaped by specific workforce characteristics and those mediated by sporting domains. The findings and recommendations prompt significant considerations for policy makers, coach educators, and sport organisations
SAC-DeV: Secure Access Control for Drone-Assisted edge computing in e-VANETs
Get PDFUnmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are transforming how we manipulate tasks and respond to the challenges by making processes more proficient, safer, economical, and environment friendly. These intelligent UAVs or drones can act as an intermediate node in electric Vehicular Ad hoc Networks (e-VANETs) for relaying weak 5G/beyond 5G communication signals in mountainous terrain. Such aerial assistance could only be feasible if Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled drones are able to establish a secure channel with vehicles or Road Side Unit (RSUs) or edge cloud servers in Internet of Vehicles (IoV) infrastructure. However, drones may be exposed to the physical examination by malicious adversaries that might reveal the vehicle user’s privacy as well as disrupt the network coverage. To effectively assist this role in rural or underdeveloped terrains, this study proposes a secure access control mechanism SAC-DeV for drone-assisted mobile RSU infrastructure to develop a mutually agreed session key after mediating e-vehicular nodes and edge cloud servers. The scheme is immaculately enhanced with Physically Unclonable Function (PUF) circuits in e-vehicles as well as drones to resist physical capture threats. Employing the formal security analysis based on widely known Real-or-Random (RoR) model, the SEC-DeV is proven to be resilient from several threats. The SEC-DeV exhibits enhanced performance in comparison with comparative studies in terms of computational and communication overheads. Moreover, it supports 24% enhanced security features as compared to preceding studies