Sound & the City Ethnomusicology Mexico: Xalapa, Veracruz – Institute for Field Research

Location: Xalapa, Ver., Mexico

Season: June 21, 2020 to July 18, 2020

Application Deadline: April 3, 2020

Deadline Type: Rolling

Website: https://ifrglobal.org/program/mexico-sound-and-the-city/

Program Type:
Field School

RPA Certified:
No

Affiliation:
UCLA, California State University Los Angeles, CalArts, Veracruz University, Xalapa, Mexico, Institute for Field Research, Connecticut College

Project Director:
Dr. Veronica Pacheco & Dr. Randall Kohl

Project Description:

The city of Xalapa in the State of Veracruz, Mexico is a dynamic center for folk, jazz, and classical music communities. This diverse urban ‘soundscape’ was shaped by waves of in-migrations of son huasteco and son jarocho practitioners, the institutionalization of the Symphonic Orchestra of Xalapa (OSX), and the establishment of the jazz department at the Veracruz University (JazzUV). The ethnographic field school ‘Sound and the City’ tackles migration, Indigeneity, ethnic diversity, and social inequality by exploring the politics of participation and activism in these communities. By mapping sounds in the urban environment and conducting ethnographic research, this program will examine how sonic communities are formed and the types of social dynamics which are generated within. The unique characteristics of the music scene in downtown Xalapa and its geographical location on the Sierra Madre Oriental, make this an exceptional place for students to experience first-hand ethnographic research methods, multidisciplinary scholarship, and actively participate in music performances of son huasteco and son jarocho, classical music, and jazz. The collected data will be used to develop a website that will include direct input from students in its design and content.

Period(s) of Occupation: Ethnomusicology, Cultural Anthropology

Project Size: 1-24 participants

Minimum Length of Stay for Volunteers: Participants are required to stay for the full duration of the field school.

Minimum Age: 18

Experience Required: None.

Room and Board Arrangements:
Students will stay in the central hotel or rented house in Xalapa. In the scheduled field trips to Indigenous communities to the north and south of the city, students will stay in local inns. All students will share a room based on room size and availability. Food in Veracruz is a combination of Indigenous and European, and highland and coastal cuisines. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are provided by the program 6 days a week, and students are responsible for their meals on free days each weekend. Breakfasts and dinners are usually taken in local restaurants, and light lunches in the field mostly consist of sandwiches, vegetables, and fruit. Even though students will have the opportunity of taste a variety of foods, keep in mind that vegetarianism and veganism are not common in Mexico in general, and food choices for these diets will be limited. Other specialized diets (halal, kosher, gluten-free, etc.) are difficult to maintain.

Academic Credit:
8 Semester credit units offered by Connecticut College. Tuition is $4,430.