Imprisoned Music A Study of Music Participation in a Malawian Juvenile Prison

Masteroppgave utøvende musikk, rytmisk- Universitetet i Agder, 2015Twice a week, music, dance and drama facilitators enter a juvenile prison in Malawi to host workshops. The main objective with this research is to gain a better understanding of how the inmates experience and perceive taking part in these activities. This is a qualitative research study, where participant observation in the field was conducted within a period of about seven months. Together with participant observation, semi-structured interviews constitute the method applied to explore the inmates´ experiences and perspectives. Their experiences with these activities are seen in relation to their experience of imprisonment, and their experience and perceptions of being a prisoner. The analysis particularly delves into the contraries between imprisonment and participation in music activities. Key words: Music, dance, drama, active participation, movement, arts workshops, juvenile prison, imprisonment, stillness, Malawi, Africa, Young in Prison