Study Abroad Soundtracks: Exploring the Role of Music in Cross-Cultural (Re)adaptation among U.S. and International Students

ABSTRACT

This study explores the ways music can facilitate cross-cultural transitions in academic sojourns. It builds on music’s specific capacities for emotionally rich experiences, interpersonal connection and synchronization, and universality. Focus groups and interviews with U.S. and international students reveal that music helped students to establish new routines, become open to new genres, learn about the local culture, connect to others, and manage emotions. In a similar way, music facilitated the re-entry and allowed students to memorialize the study abroad experience. Our findings suggest that music can facilitate cross-cultural transitions via individual and collective experiences of music making and listening.

KEYWORDS:

• Music
• study abroad
• facilitation
• adaptation
• re-entry

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank all the participants for being willing to share their stories and experiences of studying abroad.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The authors received financial support from the Graduate and Professional Student Council at the University of Arizona.

Notes on contributors

Alice Fanari

Alice Fanari is a PhD candidate in the Department of Communication at the University of Arizona. Her interests include intercultural, interpersonal, and positive communication that facilitates cross-cultural interactions.

Heather Gahler

Heather Gahler is a PhD student in the Department of Communication at the University of Arizona. Her research focuses on the intersection between media and identity across different groups.

Tiana Case

Tiana Case is an undergraduate student in the Department of Communication at the University of Arizona. Her research interests are intercultural and intergroup communication and prejudice.

Hyeonchang Gim

Hyeonchang Gim is a PhD student in the Department of Communication at the University of Arizona. His research interests are in intergroup communication with music and media effects.

Jake Harwood

Jake Harwood (Ph.D., University of California, Santa Barbara) is Professor of Communication. His research focuses on communication and ageing, particularly intergroup communication processes.