Zoe Tims

Read the essay: How do music festivals act as identity-establishing and collective consciousness-raising events for attendees?

Why did you choose this approach/take/aspect/theory?

I also study Philosophy and Sociology where I find these disciplines intertwine with Political Science. Using a literature review, I found that I was able to incorporate all of my interests into one research question. Music has an amazing ability to connect people with others through the ritual of interaction and this is was once heightened at music festivals which acts as a form of political participation.

What was an interesting discovery you made during the creation of this assessment (personal or academic)?

From the Summer of Love to Coachella, the decline in an establishment of a collective consciousness was something I found interesting. Perhaps because the political climate is much different than it was during the 1960s, the desire to be part of a collective is not as strong as it once was.

What did you enjoy most about this assessment?

The assessment centred much more on a specific research question and hypothesis which I felt I hadn’t done before in Political Science. It definitely tested me but I think it was a valuable experience and opportunity.

Why did you want to showcase your work?

I think it would be nice for other people to see that it is possible to incorporate other disciplines into an assignment which makes it all the more enjoyable.

Would you recommend the course, and why?

This course is not like other Political Science courses I have taken and it was really fun. I have a passion for music and combining this with Political Science allowed me to see music in a different, more theoretical, light.