Instrumental routes to emotional geographies

Abstract

Emotional experiences and relationships have traditionally been marginalized in human geography despite their impact on all aspects of social life. We argue, however, that understanding emotions is crucial for appreciating how the world of human (inter)actions works. To develop this argument we address two key questions. First, we ask how it is possible for social scientists to access the intimate emotional content of human affairs. One answer to this lies in settings where the emotional dimensions of social relations are deliberately and routinely enhanced. The example we take is that of musical performance. Second, we consider what might be done with these emotional ways of knowing once they have been acquired. What relevance does emotional knowing and being have? To address this, we turn to the relatively neglected concept of social well‐being, and we outline some ways in which ‘musicking’ might be used to promote it. These include music as therapy; music as a way of enhancing quality of life; and music as a medium of empowerment.

Keywords:

• emotions
• music
• performance
• therapy
• well‐being
• empowerment

Notes

Nichola Wood's (2004) doctoral research explores the ways in which ‘Scottishness’ is expressed and experienced at two Scottish‐based music festivals: Celtic Connections and T in the Park. It is based on interviews with eleven performers and eighty‐nine other participants completed between 11 January 2000 and 11 December 2000.

Our use of the term timespace reflects the contention that it is impossible to separate spatial and temporal processes (cf. Thrift 1996). Indeed, the idea that the creation and experience of space is inextricably linked to time becomes especially pertinent when thinking about the practice of musical performances. This is because performing music creates space through ‘playing’ with time.

We recognize that writing about acts, sensations and sounds which are quintessentially ‘non‐representational’ is fraught with difficulty. One option is to experiment with different textual strategies or a different presentational media (both of which we have, in fact, explored in other works). The strategy we have adopted here is to use interview material to illustrate the way some things are beyond words, and also to encourage those who know a lot about these things—in this case musicians—to express them in ways that those who do not have this kind of knowledge, can access.

Performers and listeners discussed in the text are referred to by role or by pseudonyms, except in a small number of cases where participants wish their own names to be used.

Originally recorded in 1965/6, digitally remastered 1987, and re‐released on Capital Records, 1990 (CDP 7 48421 2).

We acknowledge the problematic use of a ‘public’/‘private’ dichotomy especially in light of Berlant's (2000) contention that studies of intimacy expose the blurred boundaries between ‘the private’ and ‘the public’. However, Wood's (2004) study reveals that musical performances do allow people to forge (albeit temporary) relations with people that are perceived to be intimate in ways that are understood to be unusual in ‘public’ settings.