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The pleasures of ambiguity: pedagogy and musical apprenticeship in an Istanbul art studio

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    Abstract

    ‘Dealing with ambiguity’ has become a pressing concern in many spheres of contemporary life, often presented as a ‘survival skill’ in an uncertain world. Working with ambiguity also plays a crucial role in the musical pedagogy of Ottoman-Turkish ney (the Sufi reed-flute) playing that I discuss in this article. Rather than a constraint or deficiency to be resolved, in the context of ney apprenticeship, ambiguity emerges as a desired pedagogical force not only valued but also deliberately amplified. My aim is to show how ambiguity is embraced here as a productive condition that maximizes possibilities for artistic exploration, freedom of discernment, and aesthetic pleasures.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)632-650
    Number of pages19
    JournalJournal of the Royal Anthropological Institute
    Volume28
    Issue number2
    Early online date11 Apr 2022
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Jun 2022

    Bibliographical note

    Copyright the Author(s) 2022. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

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