Building a future through multicultural early childhood music classes in a conflict-affected city

Abstract

The aim of this exploratory study was to understand the experience of several Palestinian and Jewish parents participating in a culturally mixed early childhood music class, held in a conflict-affected city. Collective music-making is considered to be a powerful way for people to connect and socialize, regardless of their backgrounds, and for them to get to know each other through music. It also has the potential of reducing stereotypes, which is especially needed in a conflict-affected area. Data sources included records of the classes (videos and a field diary), parents’ sharing of audio and video recordings of musical episodes at home through the music class WhatsApp group and semi-structured interviews with three parents. Data were analysed inductively through open coding and three themes emerged: why music and music classes?; the music class experience; and music at home. These themes reflect the reasons for participating in the programme and the contexts in which the children and their parents experience music. Findings show that those families who chose to participate in this programme hold positive attitudes towards the Other and reported neither observable nor vocally expressed prejudice of their children against the Other. The toddlers who participated in the classes have the potential to not develop negative stereotypes towards the Other (Arab or Jewish), since their families do not expose them to such stereotypes. Nevertheless, they are members of societies (East and West Jerusalem) holding systemic ethnic biases, and therefore joint music classes may strengthen positive attitudes.