Music And Social Identity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Music And Social Identity - Essay Example It is a reflection of the different beliefs of the people and projects ideas and images which ultimately form what is called the social identity by which people identify themselves amongst their peers. Social identity means the characteristic attributes of a person that belong to a certain group. The process of social identification is one through which we express or relate to along with other people. Like for example taking Christians and Muslims groups we find that in each member of the Christian group they would be sharing basic commonalities while being different to the Muslim group. There are many types of social identities like ethnic, religious, political, personal and stigmatized etc. Shepherd, Horn, and Laing (2003) discuss that music has been a part of every society. It is present in each and every culture around the globe although the form varies from region to region and changes with time. As it can be traced back for as far as we can go hence the scientists are of view t hat it has existed for around 50,000 years. The roots of music sprung somewhere in Africa. From there onwards it has always been a very important inherent part of the human beings as it exists even today and has progressed a lot. How music cultivates depends upon a specific culture of a region, the social aspects the economic background and the technological advancements. The type and form that the music evolves into is dependent on the response from the people of that region, their beliefs and preferences.