Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
"Singing for Life: HIV/AIDS and Music in Uganda "presents a cultural analysis of hope and healing. A pioneering work in the growing field of medical ethnomusicology, "Singing for Life" shows how music, dance, drama, and the visual arts have been enlisted in the fight against AIDS in East Africa--from education to prevention and treatment. It shows how musical traditions have the power to both spread needed information and influence social behavior.
HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa is a widespread phenomenon that is the result of deep cultural issues."Singing for Life: HIV/AIDS and Music in Uganda "tells a compelling story that will appeal to students of ethnomusicology, anthropology, African studies, cultural studies, and medicine/healing. Written at a high level of engagement, but consistently approachable, it sets a benchmark for future studies in medical ethnomusicology.
CD Included
Synopsis
First Published in 2006. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.
Synopsis
Efforts within the past decade to address the HIV/AIDS pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa have dealt with HIV/AIDS principally as a medical concern--despite the fact that doctors continue to be confronted with the complex relationship of the disease to broader social issues. When medical and governmental institutions fail, artists step in. Contemporary performances in Uganda often focus on gender and health-related issues specific to women and youths, in which song texts warn against risky sexual environments or unprotected sexual behavior. Music, dance, and drama are principal tools of local initiatives that disseminate information, mobilize resources, and raise societal consciousness regarding issues related to HIV/AIDS.
Through case studies, song texts, interviews, and testimonies, Singing for Life: HIV/AIDS and Music in Uganda examines the links between the decline in Uganda's infection rate and grassroots efforts that make use of music, dance, and drama. Only when supported and encouraged by such performances drawing on localized musical traditions have medical initiatives taken root and flourished in local healthcare systems. Gregory Barz shows how music can be both a mode of promoting health and a force for personal therapy, presenting a cultural analysis of hope and healing.