Crises at Work: Potentials for Change? (2021)

Editors: Michael Ahlers and Jan Herbst IASPM Journal is the peer-reviewed open-access e-journal of the International Association for the Study of Popular Music, IASPM. As part of an international network, the journal aims to publish research and analysis in the field of popular music studies at both global and local levels. This Special Issue is motivated by, but not limited to, the current processes and effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the global civic rights movement related to “Black Lives Matter”, which highlights systemic racism as an epidemic in many societies around the world. Only a selection of topics is shown here, which is also historically part of personal, systematic or infrastructural crises of popular music cultures. The Special Issue of the IASPM Journal aims to gather a broad range of scholarly and artistic perspectives on crises in popular music composition and production, labour, business, education, societies and cultures. We understand crises as possible blockades of creative processes, economic threats, excessive demands on people or systems, but also as an opportunity for change. These potentials lead, for example, to changed forms of appreciation and to a renewed consideration of ecological or ethical values or to the establishment of new networks and methods for creative projects and work. This issue is interested in, but not limited to, any of the following themes: - Global (in)equalities and discrimination (e.g. racism, access to high-speed internet, online censorship) - Creative crisis, resilience and wellbeing - Crises of labour and music business - Innovative approaches to dealing with restrictions and limitations - Adaptations and alternative forms of commercial music industries - Focusing after overload: technical, psychological, social, economic issues - Value and appreciation of music professions in times of crisis - Emerging networks, communities and collaboration (online and offline) - Material and non-material support - Moral and ethical aspects of change We are looking for both scholarly contributions and expressions of opinion or relevant artistic outputs from professionals. The Special Issue also aims to provide a global perspective on support structure and hence motivates popular music scholars to provide information on their regional specifics. This Special Issue contains two parts, 1) full articles, 2) statements. Re 1) Full articles will be between 6,000-8,000 words and subject to double-blind peer review. We encourage practice-based and practice-led research submissions. The audio or audio-visual components must not be copyright protected and must be accompanied by a written component of 3,000 to 4,000 words that clearly describes research questions or objectives, relevant literature, the creative process and conclusions. Re 2) Statements by scholars and practitioners (industry, education, administration, policy makers etc.) about their experiences of crisis in the form of text (max. 2,000 words), audio (max. 12 minutes) or video (max. 8 minutes). The statements will be subject to editorial review. Abstract/proposals for full articles and statements are due by 15 August 2020, with full submissions (if accepted) expected by 1 January 2021. To be considered for this Special Issue, please submit an abstract of 150-250 words (plus references, if necessary) by 15 August 2020; along with author name(s), institutional affiliations, contact details and a brief bio of no more than 150 words which includes the author’s positionalities in relation to their topic to: j.herbst@hud.ac.uk. Please indicate “IASPM Crises Special Issue” in the subject line. If your abstract is accepted we expect to receive the full submission uploaded into the online submission by 1 January 2021 at https://iaspmjournal.net/index.php/IASPM_Journal/about Music will be submitted in 320 kbps .mp3 format and stored on the IASPM journal server, videos will be uploaded to IASPM Journal’s video channel. See the journal site for further information regarding Submissions. Our Style Guide is available on the website. NOTE: In order to submit to IASPM Journal you must be an IASPM member and registered as an author on the site. If membership is a financial barrier for any contributor, please discuss this with the editors and we could perhaps try to arrange some sort of funding.