Ethnomusicology in the 21st century: the issue of folklorism, learning opportunities and discussion of the field

Abstract

The evolution of Ethnomusicology has been (and still is) linked to Anthropology and Musicology. Little by little, the area has found its way and has built its own solid trajectory. Its research scope has also expanded, and it shows evident influences in other related research areas. The profile of the researcher in the field has changed greatly, and while retaining some of the characteristics of the folklorist, today ethnomusicology is completely scientific-oriented. Directly related to the topic lies, the challenge of detecting the borders between folklore and folklorism. This article discusses the aforementioned matters, challenges that the field faces, and central research questions. In addition, the scattered opportunities to study ethnomusicology are explained, with a special insight in this text, about the situation in the Basque Country.