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ERIC Number: EJ1409153
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 21
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: EISSN-1529-8094
Reclaiming "Happiness": Music Education, Meaningfulness, and Collective Flourishing
Marissa Silverman
International Journal of Education & the Arts, v24 spec iss 2 2023
The concept of "happiness" has long been debated, particularly as interpreted through utilitarianism (e.g., Ahmed, 2010a, 2010b). This paper, however, takes as its point of departure the virtue ethicists' (e.g., Aristotle, ca. 350 B.C.E./1999; Foot, 2001) understanding of eudaimonia and interprets "happiness" through the lens of decolonial feminist community psychology. In doing so, I suggest that music education--at all levels--can reclaim "happiness" and assist learners/participants pursue "fulfillment and flourishing" through musical engagement between self and other and in this way live a "good life," a life of meaningfulness and significance for themselves and their communities (Elliott & Silverman, 2015; Silverman, 2012, 2020a; Silverman & Elliott, 2016; Smith & Silverman, 2020). In pursuing "collective happiness" within the framework of decolonial feminist community psychology, the music education profession would shift its focus from subjective, individualistic accounts of "happiness" and well-being to relational, social, and contextual versions of flourishing-as-happiness. By drawing on feminist theory and critical community psychology, this account reframes "happiness" as relational meaningfulness. A case study will illustrate the nature of musical meaningfulness, collective "happiness," and the public good. [Note: The volume number (23) shown on the PDF is incorrect. The correct volume number is 24.]
International Journal of Education & the Arts. 1310 South 6th Street, Champaign, IL 61820. Tel: 402-472-9958; Fax: 402-472-2837; Web site: http://www.ijea.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A