We are advocates for equality in music education. We bring together music practitioners and local, national and international partners in conversations about social justice and the alleviation of inequality, powerlessness and discrimination.
The Centre for Music Education and Social Justice (CMESJ) supports the University of Southampton’s strategic vision to strive for greater inclusivity in our communities, seeing equity and diversity as strengths. The Centre serves as a main point of contact between the University and communities of musical practice in our region, in the UK more widely and around the world who wish to explore the social justice implications of music education.
Through regular events – from talks to interactive concerts to workshops – we support innovative research on looking at music education from practical, pedagogical, therapeutic, theoretical and historical perspectives. We also seek to nurture the study of these areas at postgraduate level and to work on the interdisciplinary study of themes of pressing social justice matters.
The main aims and focus of CMESJ are:
The Centre is directed by Dr Erin Johnson-Williams, a music historian whose research addresses decolonisation, the imperial legacies of music education, trauma studies, gender and maternity, hymns and race and soundscapes of colonial violence. The Deputy Director is Dr Chiying Lam, who works on music and inclusion, music education research methods and community music. Together they lead a team of scholars, practitioners, composers and performers all dedicated to the study of inequality in music education, and to action to create more inclusive and just access to music, for everyone.
Find out about our upcoming events
Sign up through our Microsoft Form to join our mailing list.
We welcome PhD applications that consider topics on any element of Music Education and Social Justice.
