The point of this page is to set out just a few of the key threshold concepts in the sociology and anthropology of music with the aim of trying to better explain what and why we do. A threshold concept is that which could not be expected to be part of the vernacular or everyday … Continue reading Threshold Concepts in the Sociology of Music

I'm going to be doing a research seminar online for Dublin City University next Tuesday the 6th of April entitled ' Music in the Rural Creative Economy of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland'. This will be the first discussion of some of the fieldwork I've been doing online in the past few months in … Continue reading Dublin City Research Seminar Tuesday 6th April

BFE Fieldwork Grants The British Forum for Ethnomusicology (BFE) is pleased to announce the opening of the 2021 Fieldwork Grants scheme. Purpose of the Grants The BFE Fieldwork Grants are intended to support doctoral candidates conducting ethnomusicological field research in the UK and abroad through making a contribution towards the costs of travel and subsistence. … Continue reading BFE Fieldwork Grants 2021

At Newcastle University we've been having a slow open online festival/conference of rural research. Check out posts under #wetherural on twitter I've done a wee video explainer on my current project here hope it's interesting

There's a fantastic new academic article out by Ruth Towse that explains in some detail why the 'supply side' of music streaming is so bad for artists and songwriters. It's worth reading in full but for many who can't access the paywall I've summarised it here--a lot more detail missing but this is the basic … Continue reading Why streaming offers so little revenue to performers and songwriters

If you're interested in doing a PhD with me or one of my colleagues at Newcastle University--do get in touch as soon as possible. The Northern Bridge consortium of universities in the North of England and Northern Ireland operates a competitive process for fully funded fees and living costs for the very best PhD students. … Continue reading Fully funded Doctoral Scholarships at Newcastle University

Delighted that there is going to be a really fascinating NAFCo conference next year at Limerick in June 2020--and also that Simon Keegan-Phipps and I will be coordinating a special pre-conference symposium on Anglo/Celtic Music and its peripheries--call for participants now, deadline 31st January 2020. North Atlantic Fiddle Convention 2020 Call for Participants The Irish … Continue reading NAFCo and Anglo/Celtic Traditional Music Symposium