Ailbhe Kenny

This research project explores the musical lives of children of asylum seekers in Germany. There have been increasing concerns about the demand for asylum seeking across Europe but particularly within Germany as the top destination country. The recent Syrian refugee crisis has further added to multifaceted concerns with new commitments made by Germany as well as member state governments within the European Union to provide refuge for these displaced peoples. One quarter of these asylum seekers are currently children (under 18 years of age).

Research in this field predominantly focuses on ‘priority’ areas such as food, accommodation and safety. As a consequence, the cultural needs and rights of asylum seekers have been largely ignored as well as the artistic experiences of children of asylum seekers. This project aims to gain an in-depth understanding of the role of music in the lives of children of asylum seekers (7-11 years) within an urban German context. Questions are asked about how, where, why and in what ways music is made individually and collaboratively amongst these children. This study examines children’s participation within ‘communities of musical practice’ within their communal, temporary accommodation settings.

Novel approaches are taken to this qualitative case study where children’s voices are prioritised. Participatory music workshops capture data through arts-based methods, musical outputs and participant observation. Interviews and observations build on this participatory work to capture distinct and diverse childhood musical experiences. In seeking to understand the multiple musical subcultures and intercultures of children living within communal accommodation settings, children are viewed as active agents in constructing meaning, knowledge and identities from their musical experiences. Musical identities are deemed to be negotiated on individual and collective levels within sociocultural contexts where the relationship between music, children and society are crucial to identity formation. Accordingly, identities are seen to be continually in flux within the contexts of musical experience.

It is envisaged that policymakers, educationalists and academics will learn from the experiences of music examined to influence future directions in their respective fields of policy, practice, and research. The project therefore addresses an urgent need to document and understand the musical values, knowledge and needs of these oft-unheard children in our society.