Discourse evolution. (c2015)

Abstract

Songs communicate. Whether used in a story telling setting or as part of an artistic exhibition, songs describe cultural patterns and speak of yearnings and realities, both bitter and sweet. This study uses songs as an interdisciplinary research tool within a sociolinguistics framework. It aims to understand the impact of social and cultural changes on the Lebanese population’s civic engagement attitudes. Three research questions were brought forth: How are war effects depicted in Lebanese songs? Has the Lebanese population’s perception of war evolved in the last fifty years? How is this perception seen from a civic engagement perspective? A list of Lebanese-dialect songs dealing with war and war effects was collected. Three instruments were used. First, inductive content analysis of song lyrics provided thematic categories whose evolution was studied by decades, starting with the 1960’s. Second, an online survey was conducted; it involved 60 adult Lebanese citizens whose responses included war song memory links, national attachment stances and musical preferences. Third, one on one interviews were conducted with four out of the 16 musicians whose songs were included in the song list. It was found that songs echo suffering and frustration as they are frequently linked to memories, both happy and hurtful; they enflame feelings of national identification; they are also powerful tools for change through giving hope, calling for initiatives and even suggesting practical solutions to overcoming war effects and preventing further conflict. A radical shift in attitude from a nationalistic attachment in the 1960’s to a sarcastic expression of helplessness took place, though it is not the general case. While some discontent with the status quo caused by a discrepancy between civic expectations and the reality remains to be the main attitude, most contemporary songs end with hope. The study has three direct implications. First, songs can be valuable social science research tools. Second, though singing about one’s country generally nurtures a positive sense of belonging, it is not enough; it is important for teachers to educate for civic engagement, democracy and citizenship, and for schools to consider this a top priority soft skill. Third, songs are closely linked to hope; they thus reveal opportunities for education initiatives on teaching how to deal with grief. This is especially useful in geographical contexts where growing conflicts breed a growing need for civic peace initiatives. The adopted interdisciplinary approach also opens up new research perspectives and provides valuable ground for future applications in the world of education, be it civic, linguistic or musical.