In course day four, we examine the intricate relationships between power, knowledge, and social change, exploring how these dynamics are understood within social theories and their relevance to music education research.

Karl Marx’s analysis of power situates it within the material conditions of production, where societal relations are shaped by economic structures. His concept of ideology, understood as a mechanism that obscures exploitation and naturalises inequality, remains foundational for examining how power operates within cultural and educational systems. Louis Althusser builds on this with his theory of ideological state apparatuses, highlighting how institutions such as schools and families function to reproduce societal structures by interpellating individuals into specific subject positions. These theories emphasise power’s systemic dimensions but also invite critical engagement with their tendency toward economic determinism. Antonio Gramsci’s notion of hegemony further enriches this discussion by illustrating how cultural "common sense" sustains dominant ideologies, while remaining a site for contestation and counter-hegemonic practices.

Complementing this view, Michel Foucault’s conceptualisation of power emphasises its relational, diffuse nature, manifesting not only in hierarchical structures but also through everyday practices and discourses. Power, in this sense, is not merely repressive but productive, shaping subjectivities and governing behaviour through mechanisms such as biopolitics, governmentality, and self-technologies.

Adding depth to these discussions, Gayatri Spivak and Judith Butler both provide essential perspectives on how power shapes identity, agency, and social change. Spivak’s notion of the subaltern emphasises how those marginalised within hegemonic discourses are often silenced, drawing attention to the limitations of representation and the need for critical engagement with who can speak and be heard. Her critique of essentialism and her concept of strategic essentialism further illuminate the complexities of mobilising identity categories in struggles for justice. Butler, meanwhile, extends the conversation on identity through her analysis of performativity, arguing that power acts on and through subjects by both enabling and constraining their agency. Her insights into how identities are reiterated within discursive frameworks challenge us to rethink agency as not merely individual freedom but a negotiated process within conditions of power.

Finally, the session turns to the broader implications of music education as a site of social change. Activist methodologies and utopian thinking challenge participants to envision music education not only as a space for skill development but as a transformative practice capable of addressing societal challenges. This vision requires a nuanced critical commitment to examining the ethical and political dimensions of music education.

By weaving together these theoretical perspectives, the session interrogates how power and knowledge inform the practices and possibilities of music education. It invites participants to reflect on their roles as educators and researchers within these dynamics, asking: How does music education matter in the broader project of social change?