ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book provides an overview of perspectives and practices in popular music education (PME) internationally, focusing primarily on higher education. It discusses the power and cultural politics of popular song in the People's Republic of China, and the role of the education system in perpetuating and reproducing meanings of artefacts and attitudes, emphasizing national connectivity and collectivity. The book also discusses critique aspects of curricula – past, present and potential – raising various issues salient to PME in a range of higher and mainstream education contexts. It explores overlapping areas of creativity in careers and career preparation, and in business- and entrepreneurship-orientated elements of PME. The book offers critique of and perspectives on PME, and seeks to locate discussion of the field in a social realm.
