Songs of Celebration and Suffering: Music and Refugees in Australia
Presented by Dr Samantha Dieckmann, Melbourne Conservatorium of Music and the ARC Centre of Excellence for the History of Emotions
Music is frequently used to foster public understanding of refugees and asylum seekers, and to promote feelings of belonging. Samantha Dieckmann’s recent research examines how engaging with others musically impacts identity and community development, as well as attitudes towards multiculturalism and integration.
This seminar will report on the experiences of musicians who happen to be refugees or former refugees, the use of music in community development and service provision for communities who have experienced forced migration, and musician-activists who use their work to draw attention to refugee and asylum seeker social justice issues. Refugee and asylum seeker narratives are performed differently in these diverse musical arenas, and by exploring each we will consider the relationship between whose voices are being represented, and whose voices are being heard.
About the Refugees and Forced Migration Seminar Series
Across semester two, the Melbourne Social Equity Institute and Researchers for Asylum Seekers (RAS) are partnering to present a fortnightly seminar series on a range of topics related to forced migration, refugees and people seeking asylum.
Events are held between 1pm and 2pm on Tuesdays at Melbourne Law School, 185 Pelham Street, Carlton.
All events are free and open to all. Bookings are not required. For further information email social-equity@unimelb.edu.au
Semester 2 Program
Download a PDF flyer of the program
1 August | Room 224 | Behind “Behind the Wire”: Sharing New Perspectives | Michael Green and AndrĂ© Dao |
15 August | Room 224 | Nowhere People Have a Right to Somewhere: | Michelle Foster |
29 August | Room 920 | “Boat People” and Borders: Changing Political Debate | John Van Kooy |
12 September | Room 920 | Songs of Celebration and Suffering: Music and Refugees | Samantha Dieckmann |
3 October | Room 223 | From Human Trafficking To “Smuggled” Refugees: | Jiyoung Song |
17 October | Room 920 | Rising Seas: Climate change, Displacement and | Celia McMichael |
31 October | Room 920 | Closing the Chapter on Child Detention: Developments | Robyn Sampson |