The politics of music — misuses

Abstract

This article is a scientific review of the book written by American musicologist Jonathan Pieslak Radicalism & Music. An Introduction to the Music Cultures of al-Qai`da, Racist Skinheads, Christian-Affiliated Radicals, and Eco-Animal Rights Militants. The book was published in 2015 in the United States and is an important comparative study of four radical groups: al-Qai`da, racist skinheads, Christian-affiliated radicals, and eco-animal rights militants. It is an important study not only from a musicological perspective but also from a political and social point of view. It denudes the music status within these four clearly defined social groups. In the opening chapter Pieslak defines the used methodology; outcomes presented in the book are a result of longtime research within different radical social groups. The final conclusions are the result of conversations with several members which defined and described the music preferences as well as tendencies popular within those groups. The problem described by Pieslak applies to the potential of human nature, its evil part, which needs to be drowned out by participation in culture. Radicalism is a phenomenon that is present in every part of the world and can appear in almost every society. It means that it is not a feature of any specific civilization. The book Radicalism & Music. An Introduction to the Music Cultures of al-Qai`da, Racist Skinheads, Christian-Affiliated Radicals, and Eco-Animal Rights Militants is a study which presents the stages of music`s dehumanization and humiliation. This special type of art is losing its status and becomes banausic. It turns out that music serves the regime and radicalism. The American researcher is interested in armed conflicts in the Middle East. He looks at the important problems of the modern West with the compassion of musician and composer, which is aware of the political engagement of his country. Radicalism & Music. An Introduction to the Music Cultures of al-Qai`da, Racist Skinheads, Christian-Affiliated Radicals, and Eco-Animal Rights Militants is an important diagnosis of processes within modern societies.