The international academic network ‘Music and Social Transformations of the Present’ researches the multiple connections between music and society with a focus on transformation processes.
The network’s members work collaboratively on three main topics over the course of three years. (1) The digital transformation of musical life—concerning music production, distribution and reception as well as the economic changes and the emergence of new musical practices that accompany this digital transformation; (2) processes of group formation and boundary work under the conditions of individualization, neoliberalism, transculturalism, digitization and the pluralization of lifestyles; (3) questions regarding the ecological, economic and social sustainability of current musical life and its futures.
Members of the network engage with these topics on a continuous basis. Additionally, during six meetings they meet in person and consult with invited experts. They theorize changes in music, musical practices and contemporary musical life as these occur under conditions of multiple current social transformations. The development of concrete interdisciplinary research projects and suggestions of best practices for creating more sustainable music cultures and markets are mainstays of the network.
