Claiming space in a music classroom in Durban

Abstract

The main aim which this study is to investigate is how claiming space in a secondary school music classroom in Durban is being expressed, through a gender perspective. The research aims to highlight and problematize how learners are claiming space in the music classroom. Furthermore it aims to examine how the concept claiming space can be problematized and contextualised from a Swedish-South African perspective. The data is processed in a secondary school, influenced by Star for Life, in the outskirts of Durban, South Africa. Three classes with one teacher have been observed through video-observations when participating in the Creative Arts. This data constitutes the foundation for the result in this study where social constructionism permeates the work, along with a clear focus on gender. Concepts that are frequently used in the study are related to the social constructionist perspective where normativity concerning femininity and masculinity is processed. Claiming space is also a commonly used concept within this study. The result shows that the possibilities for learners to claim space through music in the observed secondary school is clearly affected by the teaching style present and the setting in which the school is operating. It also shows tendencies for claiming space being present through currently existing gender patterns where boys are claiming space more frequently than girls. These indications are furthermore strengthened by previously carried-out research.