Music as a tool for social change: A critical exploration through the lens of Community Education

Abstract

Throughout history, music has been used as a powerful tool to aid social change (Reese, 2015). This article will discuss the interconnectedness of music, critical pedagogical practice and community education values, exploring how music functions as a tool for social transformation, collective learning and participatory action.

The choice to use music to grapple with these ideas stems from the opportunity it creates to explore social issues in a creative and widely accessible way. It has been highlighted that music is a universal art form which is engaged with daily by most people (Benjamins et al, 2025). The importance of this is highlighted by international organisations such as UNESCO’s Decleration on Cultural Diversity (2021), which states that cultural art, such as music, is an important part of promoting cultural identities.

The use of music in critical community practice is known as ‘Community Music’, described by Dykema (1969) as 'socialised music' (p.218), meaning that it can have an impact on ‘social bonding, cultural transmission, and the expression of social identities’ (MacDonald, 2021: 1). Higgins (2024) goes on to discuss Community Music as ‘relational practice, vibrating to the tune of the politics of cultural democracy and responding to contemporary and historical forms of cultural and social inequality’ (p117). These ideas link to community education practice as it introduces the importance of participatory and inclusive approaches to learning. This aspect of practice is important because community practitioners aim to meet both the immediate needs of individuals and communities whilst also working to address systemic challenges.