If you did not attend the International Symposium on the Philosophy of Music Education (ISPME) IX you can read Roger Mantie’s reflections on the conference.
Mantie speaks about the importance of “grappling with big questions” and how ISPME fosters a community where this can occur. Whether or not one attends ISPME, philosophical thinking can occur in our own practice ranging from curriculum development and planning to department meetings and casual conversations while “talking shop.”
The field is certainly stronger due to philosophical thinking and certainly to those in music education who help us grapple with big questions to inform our decisions and practice.
How often do you read an article or attend a conference session that includes terms and people such as democracy, pluralism, poststructural, postmodern, ethics, Dewey, Jorgensen, Allsup, Boyce-Tillman, Reimer, Foucault, or Deleuze?
A key related journal, Philosophy of Music Education Review can provide a starting point to getting a sense of philosophical thinking in music education.
The National Association for Music Education has a special research interest group (SRIG) dedicated to philosophical thinking in music education to support and share philosophical thinking in the context of music education:
The NAfME Philosophy SRIG has the following mission (as included on their website):
The mission of the Philosophy SRIG is to provide opportunities for discussion and dissemination of conceptual, theoretical and practical research on or based upon philosophical parameters among music educators. It also intends to contribute to the profession by reaffirming the importance of studying, fostering and disseminating philosophical notions in music and education.
Further the Special Research Interest Group in Philosophy embraces the following mission:
1) to promote the production and dissemination of philosophical research relevant to music education
2) to serve as a clearinghouse for information on scholarly work in the philosophy of music education
3) to apply the tools of philosophical inquiry to improve music education
4) to encourage younger music education scholars to engage in philosophical inquiry
Beyond the United States, the International Society for the Philosophy of Music Education “sponsors and conducts international symposia held biennially or triennially. It provides an international forum for philosophers of music education and others interested in their work to discuss philosophical issues having to do with music education around the world and advocate for philosophical research in music education.”
Here’s to a growing number of professional development sessions, everyday conversations, meetings, and conference presentations at the state and national level that incorporate philosophical thinking.
And of course if you want some summer philosophical reading you can always delve into some books that address philosophies of music education such as:
A Philosophy of Music Education: Advancing the Vision 3rd edition – Reimer
Transforming Music Education – Jorgensen
The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy in Music Education – edited Bowman & Frega
Happy philosophizing!