The Story of a Man Without Lips: Representational Politics in Iranian Music Education

Abstract

Abstract Owing to the geopolitical and sociohistorical changes occurring in the Middle East, and more particularly, the political aftermath of the 1979 Revolution in Iran, the international news media tends to politicize and overlook the richness of urban Iranian youth’s music making and learning habits. The absence of music courses in public education of the young does not indicate the absence of music making and learning; rather, we must look beyond the formal discourse of music education to find salient and unexpected forms of music education. Through narrative inquiry, this article examines the life story of Behzad, a rock musician in Tehran, who persevered through his often-interrupted but creative process of music learning and making. Together with his peers, Behzad has fashioned a meaningful music education scene that speaks to his adaptability, determination, passion, and strong drive toward music learning. Through Behzad’s stories, I present questions regarding what music education stands for and what it means to learn music the way Behzad has.

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