Musicing

We had a meeting of the GRIME (Gender Research in Music Education) SRIG (Special Research Interest Group) here at MENC in Milwaukee today. Patti O’Toole, the first chair of the SRIG, spoke a little bit about its history. I enjoyed her discussion very much and felt that it alone was worth the $225 conference fee (yes, it is rather steep!). She suggested to feminists in music education that it’s time to be “good” rather than “strong.” This was (as I interpret her talk) tied to the idea that we need to create a more civil dialogue within GRIME. She also asked a number of times something like, “What have feminist researchers in music education accomplished?” From my point of view, feminist research in music education (as with feminist research in other fields) has provided a good foundation for inquiry into additional areas of social justice research. My own interest in social class and music education, for example, has, I feel, been informed by feminist dialogue. And, much of that dialogue has been and is rather strident. So, I’m not sure where to stand on this issue–strong or good. Can I choose both?

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