Open Collections

Kakegawa, Uno

While the intersection of music and politics has garnered some attention in scholarly discourse, the role of instrumental music as a soft power tool in diplomacy remains underexamined. This thesis bridges this gap by exploring the transformative capacity of instrumental music in influencing socio-political norms and international relations in both state sponsored and non-state sponsored contexts. Using a critical aesthetic approach that synthesizes Adorno’s understanding of music and Said’s concept of “the Other”, my research examines the powerful potential of music as a diplomatic tool. To further my analysis, I adopt a mixed-methods approach to apply my theoretical framework to two case studies: the state-sponsored American Jazz Ambassadors and the non-state-sponsored West-Eastern Divan Orchestra. These examples demonstrate how music can operate as an agent of cultural exchange and foster understanding among politically divided groups, ultimately shaping socio-political norms and influencing power dynamics. By transcending cultural and linguistic boundaries, instrumental music emerges as a unique artistic medium that facilitates cross-cultural exchange and transforms the diplomatic landscape. My analysis and findings demonstrate the multifaceted nature of musical diplomacy and contribute to an in-depth understanding of international relations and soft power discourse. Consequently, my research advances the existing literature by integrating critical aesthetic theory into contemporary diplomatic practices and analyzing how instrumental music can be utilized as a diplomatic tool for societal transformation and cross-cultural dialogue.

Graduating Project

eng

2024-05-22

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/88347

Unreviewed

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/