Abstract

It seems clear that musical “diversity” is ubiquitous in our 21st-century world—and this has been the case already for decades. Music is used in many ways to create communities large and small (a national anthem compared to a school song), fleeting and long lasting (an advertisement jingle compared to a favorite denominational church hymn). However, music also can be used to divide individuals and groups one from another(that same school song noted above) and to underscore conflict (music associated with war). This essay considers how music is applied, or used, in diverse ways in the process of building or tearing down communities. Twelve categories reflect these applications— an individual song is sufficient to represent some categories, while others are more broadly defined. Each category is described and provided with appropriate suggested listening examples. This investigation reflects the role music plays in basic human situations and how music can play a role in distinguishing or assuaging “difference.”