The music-making milieu : a post-phenomenological study on well-being assemblages : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Psychology (endorsed in Health Psychology) at Massey University, New Zealand
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Date
2023
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Massey University
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Abstract
Recent research suggests that people working as music-makers often experience poorer health outcomes compared to the general population. However, these studies neglect the socio-cultural and material contexts from which these health outcomes emerge, resulting in recommendations for interventions that are overly individually focused. This thesis calls for a radical new conceptualisation of well-being that can address the milieu from which music-maker experiences of well-being emerge. The research addresses this gap via a post-phenomenological perspective, developing a conceptual framework informed by Deleuzoguattarian understandings of assemblage and affect to analyse conversations with seven professional and semi-professional music-makers in New Zealand. The study explores how their experiences of well-being are shaped by various social, material, and structural contexts. The findings reveal that music-making is a source of well-being through the transformative processes of becoming-other, allowing music-makers to transcend rigid subjectivities and individualism. However, this capacity for well-being can be disrupted by affective forces of neoliberalism and capitalism which territorialise creative work, are incapable of sufficiently valuing creative labour, and impose significant pressures on music-makers. The precarious nature of the music industry, the hyper-competitive gig economy, and the pervasive influence of alcohol emerge as significant factors affecting the well-being of music-makers. The study underscores the need for interventions that extend beyond individual-focused approaches, suggesting implementation of supportive structures and policies that are less reliant on capitalist models. The findings contribute to a broader understanding of well-being in the context of creative work, offering insights for future research and policy-making as well as contributing to the emerging literature on relational understandings of well-being.
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music making, well-being, post-phenomenology, Deleuze and Guattari, assemblage, affect, new materialism, post-humanism