An Interdisciplinary Study of "the Power of Music" after the Great East Japan Earthquake

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25580023
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Aesthetics and studies on art
• Research Institution: Kyushu University (2014-2016); Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music (2013)
• Principal Investigator: NAKAMURA Mia 九州大学, 芸術工学研究院, 准教授 (20436695)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 音楽の力 / 東日本大震災 / 社会学 / 音楽学 / 認知科学 / トラウマ / デザイン / アートマネジメント

Outline of Final Research Achievements

With “the power of music”, various music activities have been undertaken in recovering from the disaster of the Great East Japan Earthquake. This study aims to reveal how people have brought out the potential of music in the midst of the disaster and recovery. The study consists of five phases: 1) examining the use of “the power of music”, 2) obtaining an overall picture of the musical activities after the earthquake, 3) conducting field research in the disaster area, 4) applying recent outcomes of cognitive science and trauma studies, and 5) proposing implications for cultural policy. Taking a sociological approach combined with recent findings of cognitive science and psychiatric studies, the study has provided theoretical explanations of the means the “power” of music is activated.

Free Research Field

芸術社会学、音楽学