WP5 aims to illuminate the role of collective singing among Ukrainian refugees in Lithuania and Denmark, providing a focused lens on how cultural practices like singing navigate the complexities of displacement. WP5 integrates the empirical, theoretical, and semantic insights from WP1, WP2, WP3, and WP4, applying them to a contemporary social crisis. By integrating this case study, the CRIES project not only expands its cultural scope but also engages in a broader dialogue about the role of arts and culture in addressing contemporary societal issues, reinforcing the project's significance within a broader European framework of cultural cooperation, and understanding.
WP5 conducts ethnographic fieldwork to capture the lived experiences of Ukrainian refugees, focusing on the collective singing practices that connect them to their cultural roots and foster resilience. January 2025-January 2026 participants will be 1) recruited and 2) interviewed (Pshenichkina in Lithuania/ Borčak in Denmark). In Denmark, the AP Goldschmidt’s Music Academy, who runs choral activities for Ukranian refugees, will also assist in recruiting informants among their participants (LoC is attached). Following semi-structured guides, the interviews will examine how the act of singing reinforce or challenge the refugees' sense of social integration and cultural identity in context of their host countries and their singing traditions. Aided by Musical Anthropologist Georgina Born, Professor at University College London, this team promises groundbreaking contributions to studying collective singing as both a unifying force and a source of division during times of upheaval.
Impact: WP5 not only extends the project's thematic investigations into a pressing contemporary issue but also showcases the adaptability of collective singing practices across different social landscapes. An interdisciplinary approach enriches our understanding of music's power in migrant experiences, offering innovative perspectives on cultural integration and the therapeutic potential of collective singing. The findings from WP5 will enhance the project's overall contributions to cultural policy, social cohesion strategies, and the academic fields of ethnomusicology and migration studies.
This WP is led by Lea Wierød Borčak.
