CfP: 40th European Seminar in Ethnomusicology (16.-20.09.2025, Aveiro, Portugal) Extended Deadline: 10.05.2025

40th ESEM Aveiro
16—20 September 2025

5th ICTMD National Committee Meeting

call for papers
deadline: 30 April 2025 | extended deadline 10 May 2025

conference venue: University of Aveiro Institute of Ethnomusicology – Center of Studies in Music and Dance Department of Art and Communication Portugal

Themes of the Seminar

1. Music and Climate Change:

Sonic Ecologies and Environmental Ethnomusicology As our planet faces unprecedented environmental challenges, the relationship between music and climate change has become a vital field of study. From indigenous communities whose ancestral songs encode traditional ecological knowledge to contemporary artists composing climate protest anthems, music offers unique pathways for understanding, communicating, and addressing environmental crises. In fact, the soundscapes that define cultural identities are shifting as habitats transform, while musical practices themselves are adapting to new environmental realities. This topic explores (1) how communities use music and dance to respond to climate-related challenges, including indigenous ecomusicologies, environmental activism, and sustainability; (2) Music and dance as responses to health issues related to climate change; (3) The impact of climate change on musical traditions and soundscapes; (4) The role of traditional ecological knowledge in shaping musical practices.

2. The Future of Ethnomusicology:

Reflexivity, Ethics and Digital Challenges Ethnomusicology stands at a critical crossroads, facing profound transformations in research methodologies, ethical considerations, and technological integration. Ethnomusicologists increasingly recognize that their work operates within intricate networks of power, representation, and cultural ownership. This necessitates deeper reflexivity about our changing roles as researchers, educators, and cultural mediators. Who has the authority to speak for whom in our scholarship? How do we navigate issues of voice, agency, and ethical fieldwork in contexts of historical inequity and ongoing decolonization efforts? Simultaneously, our field is being revolutionized by digital technologies. Artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and online platforms are not merely tools for research but transformative forces reshaping the very musical traditions we study. While these technologies provide unprecedented opportunities for documentation, preservation, and engagement, they also raise critical questions about algorithmic bias, cultural ownership, and representation. This topic invites participants to (1) examine the politics of collaboration and community engagement by exploring models that prioritize equitable partnerships and mutual benefit; (2) critically assess the implications of AIgenerated music and algorithmic curation systems, which increasingly shape the global visibility of musical expressions; and (3) explore virtual ethnography and digital archives as new frontiers for ethnomusicology, weighing their potential for expanded access against concerns regarding context, meaning, and appropriate use.

3. The Politics of Sounding and Listening:

Power, Resistance and Cultural Heritage in Ethnomusicology In a world where power often operates through unseen channels, sound can serve as both a battlefield and a refuge. The intricate relationships between those who create sound, those who listen, and those who control the conditions of both reveal complex networks of power, resistance, and cultural dynamics, demanding scholarly attention. This topic invites ethnomusicologists, sound studies scholars, anthropologists, and cultural theorists to explore the political dimensions of sound and listening across diverse global contexts. From whispered folk songs preserving endangered languages to amplified anthems galvanizing social movements, from surveillance technologies monitoring sonic expressions to institutional frameworks determining which sounds are preserved or forgotten, this topic seeks to interrogate how power operates through sound. We invite participants to examine: (1) how listening is a political act with profound implications for cultural understanding and preservation; (2) how governments and institutions regulate musical expression; (3) the strategic use of sound in resistance movements, and (4) the ethical complexities that arise when sonic heritage is explored through tourism and/or cultural representation.

4. Free papers

Even though proposals related to the Seminar’s themes will be prioritized, submissions about other topics of interest for ESEM will be also considered.

Modes of Presentation

A variety of presentation modes are possible, and applicants are encouraged to carefully consider which mode of presentation might work best to present their research. You may only present once during the seminar.

Individual paper

Individual paper presentations are 20 minutes long to be followed by 10 minutes of discussion. The proposal must include a 300-word maximum abstract.

Panel

Organized panels are 90 minutes (three papers, 20 minutes each, followed by 10 minutes discussion) or two hours long (four papers and a discussant). A proposal by the panel organizer (300 words) as well as by each individual presenter is necessary (300 words each). Where an independently submitted abstract appears to fit a panel, the program committee may suggest the addition of a panelist.

Audiovisual session

Recently completed documentaries introduced by their author and discussed by conference participants may be proposed. Submit a 300 word abstract including titles, subjects, and formats, and indicate the duration of the proposed documentaries and introduction/discussion.

Roundtable

Roundtable sessions provide opportunities for participants to discuss a subject with each other and with members of the audience. Sessions of up to two hours long should include at least four but no more than five presenters. The organizer will solicit position papers of up to 15 minutes from each presenter and will facilitate questions and discussion for the remaining time. Proposals for roundtables should be submitted by the session organizer (300 words).

Instructions for abstracts

Abstracts should include a clear focus of the problem, a coherent argument, knowledge of previous research, and a statement of the implications for ethnomusicology. Proposals can be submitted here: https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=40thesem5thictmdptme

Language English is the official language of the Seminar.

Submission Deadline for proposals is 10 May 2025.

Evaluation of proposals will be done anonymously, and presenters will be notified of the program committee’s decision by mid-May 2025.

Symposium Registration Fee Early Bird Registration (Deadline: 31 July 2025) regular 50 € — reduced 30 € Registration (Deadline: 1 September 2025) regular 70 € — reduced 50 € The registration form will be available online starting May 2024.