twentieth-century music· 2014Q2
Actor-Networks in Music History: Clarifications and Critiques
- 251citations
- Q2SCImago
- 2014year
Short summary
Actor-Network Theory (ANT) is a methodology, not a theory, that can be applied to music historiography by examining human and non-human agency, action, ontology, and performance.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Key points
- Actor-Network Theory (ANT) is presented as a methodology rather than a theory.
- ANT's methodological presuppositions include human/non-human agency, action, ontology, and performance.
- The methodology is applied to music-historical concerns of influence, genre, and context.
- Examples from post-1960 music history, including John Cage and Iggy Pop, are used to illustrate the application.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Abstract This article offers clarifications and critiques of actor-network theory and its usefulness for music historiography. Reviewing the work of ANT theorists Bruno Latour, Annemarie Mol, and other social theorists (such as Georgina Born and Anna Tsing), the author explains that ANT is a methodology, not a theory. As a general introduction, the author outlines ANT's methodological presuppositions about human and non-human agency, action, ontology, and performance. He then examines how these methodological principles affect three concerns of music-historical interest: influence, genre, and context. In conclusion, he addresses problems related to temporality, critique, and reflexivity. He draws on music-historical examples after 1960: John Cage, the Jazz Composer's Guild, Henry Cow, Iggy Pop, and the Velvet Underground.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. twentieth-century music, 2014 · DOI ↗
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Field: Music
MusicArts and Humanities