Re-Imagining Curricula in Global Times: A Music Education Perspective by Jennifer M. Mellizo addresses how music education can support and foster global learning and intercultural competencies. Mellizo has been serving as a music teacher and teaching music in public schools for the last eighteen years, and her focus in this book exemplifies her approach to educating children to be global citizens. She argues that music education can serve as a good starting point because it helps to define “global learning experiences” (p. 14). In short, music education is a human phenomenon that enables transformative interactions in which students and teachers learn to respect diversity. In this regard, music education helps to develop global competencies and, in turn, fosters positive global dispositions in adolescent students.
The book consists of seven chapters, three theoretical and the rest practical. Chapter 1 refers to the importance of music education, exploring the interconnectedness and interaction of students’ curricula (adolescent education) to make this world a better place to live. The underlying premise is that musicians can make the world a better place to live by expressing themselves through their creativity as well as by engaging in matters that relate to social and environmental challenges (p. 16). Mellizo suggests that building a curriculum that responds to the political, historical and socio-cultural perspectives in adolescents’ lives through music education allows them to develop a positive global disposition (p. 17). To put it differently, creating a curriculum using students’ skills and knowledge is necessary to cultivate a globalised world.
Chapter 2 introduces the Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity (DMIS). Mellizo responds to the theory of Milton Bennett, who portrayed cultural sensitivity in fostering intercultural education for global disposition in educational cross-cultural boundaries. Bennett believed that DMIS is a constructivist approach that enables individuals to learn new experiences diversely in an interconnected world. The entire phenomenon of this approach is related to students’ progression of knowledge towards intercultural sensitivity and, eventually, higher levels of intercultural competence (p. 22).
Here, one might consider how to cultivate intercultural awareness. Mellizo discusses the challenges of bringing together ethnocentric (Denial, Defensive and Minimisation) and ethnorelative (Acceptance, Adaption and Integration) beliefs. The former has a narrow perspective on cultural diversity and embracing differences. The latter has a broader perception of recognising differences and accepting cross-cultural behaviours that further proceed to adaptation and, eventually, integration. However, for developing a curriculum, Bennett argues that the teachers should be a level ahead of their students in terms of ethnorelativism beliefs so that they are able to support the students to progress and develop their own beliefs. (27). Mellizo advocates that educators should cultivate intercultural sensitivity beyond the local level to achieve the goal of developing global citizenship (p. 28). In other words, through the developmental framework of intercultural learning practice, educators can strengthen students from ethnocentric to ethnorelativism for global dispositions.
Chapter 3 brings a more in-depth study of DMIS from the ethnocentric perspective (Denial, Defensive and Minimisation). Mellizo contends these ethnocentric systemic tendencies have not fulfilled their potential as a powerful form of global education. She criticises the homogeneous material, programme structures, pedagogies and assessment in music curricula, as she considers them irrelevant to fostering the potential of music education to develop a curriculum for global disposition in this domain. For instance, multiple studies from recent years show non-developmental shifts in which non-Western music is ignored. For example, she shows that one study in British Columbia, Canada, concluded that establishing a curriculum for diverse musical material should consider non-Western music traditions. In this praxis, 91% of music instructors emphasised the value of non-Western music, but only 68% intended to act on that belief. She further indicates that music educators interested in non-Western music are unlikely to be accepted to teach K-12 students. In other words, the author consistently refutes the ethnocentric shape of the designed curriculum. Accordingly, due to such ignorance, particularly in the United States, a decline in enrolment in secondary music education programmes has severe consequences because of an ethnocentric shape (p. 40).
As a result of such hegemonic practices, Mellizo contends that these curricular systemic tendencies continue to portray the notion that Western classical musical values are appropriate and universal. Mellizo’s perspective is not only about promoting music education as a special means for intercultural sensitivity for a global disposition. Rather, her objective is to unravel the theoretical arguments of DMIS so that class teachers, researchers and musicians may apply these notions immediately in classroom situations (p. 53).
The next part of the book consists of four chapters (4, 5, 6, 7) that serve as the practical discourse of promoting music education in classroom settings and beyond. Chapter 4 proposes specific steps to practically employ the theoretical basis of DMIS to make music education more interculturally sensitive. In this study, Mellizo examines changes in demographics, music and society in American universities from 1959 to 2009, raising important questions about educational institutions’ integrity. Is it possible to alter a systemic structure significantly established for over fifty years or even longer? If it is, what should be the starting point? How far do individual actions make a difference? What are the benefits that have been gained from the presently prevailing structures? Mellizo contends that it is imperative to reform the system if it has exclusively advantaged a particular group (p. 60).
Eventually, she proposes, in this practical area, a strategic approach towards ethnorelativism, refuting ethnocentrism. In this respect, Mellizo proposes twelve action steps to bring developmental changes, which relate to designing inclusive, diverse curricula and reducing Western hegemony practices. She further encourages music curriculum developers to overcome the barriers that are obstacles to progress, such as “West is Best” and “Music is the Universal Language” (p. 64, 71). As a result, Mellizo proposes practical strategies for dissolving ethnocentric concerns (Denial, Defense and Minimisation) so that music education educators fully embrace the role of being thoughtful and transformative practitioners who can fulfil the needs of students in the classroom as well as in society (p. 79). Mellizo further advances towards higher levels of education in intercultural sensitivity, and she declares that once music educators become conscious of ethnocentric tendencies, they may better resist (in themselves and others) the current prevailing system of music education (p. 101).
The last chapters (6 and 7) provide more in-depth research in the DMIS framework – knowledge and skills into praxis to equip students to embrace cultural differences more meaningfully. In this respect, DMIS connects adolescents (as global citizens, not national citizens) to multiculturalism to address interconnected and interdependent global concerns (p. 106), through a wide variety of musical experiences (p. 110). Overall, instructors’ approaches to establishing this awareness and recognising the value of improving human conditions in any cultural environment can help students flourish. It is therefore ethnorelative rather than ethnocentric to understand the cultural values and needs of the world through music. As a result, this increased interest armed with DMIS in students’ growth develops familiarity with being more global citizens and helps music teachers to aid students to be active and participatory in a meaningful way. Teachers can use the curriculum employing ethnorelativism to encourage students to be transformative agents of change to improve the world (p. 120). Till now, she has discussed two different approaches, ethnocentric and ethnorelative. This is the practical method in the classroom she is proposing.
Mellizo concludes with an autoethnography reflection to deepen this perspective. Mellizo empowers herself by opposing systemic norms and helping students develop global dispositions through autoethnographic analysis of music learning practice (p. 126). In short, her story demonstrates the intercultural sensitivity experienced in music learning practice, which can make a difference in students’ lives. In conceptualising this book’s practice, Mellizo’s personal DMIS model experiences help define where teachers and students are in their journeys (p. 146). This writer’s story proposes that readers, music teachers and students compare their routes to music learning.
The book is well-researched, and Mellizo has challenged the traditional barriers of the systemic structure that are obstacles to progression, primarily through her own storytelling approach. However, nothing is offered from the historical perspective to trace the progression of music education in this manner. One case study from the historical perspective could have been offered to enhance readers’, students’ and teachers’ understanding. Second, the research has exclusively examined its findings within certain contexts (American secondary schools), neglecting the obstacles present in other contexts and the potential benefits of addressing these issues for the advancement of a worldwide curriculum in music education. These concerns indicate potential for further application of the ideas within this book and for further research in these areas.
