Main description:

Music Downtown Eastside draws on two decades of research in one of North America's poorest urban areas to illustrate how human rights can be promoted through music. Harrison's examination of how gentrification, grant funding, and community organizations affect the success or failure of human rights-focused musical initiatives offers insights into the complex relationship between culture, poverty, and human rights that have global implications and
applicability.

The book takes the reader into popular music jams and music therapy sessions offered to the poor in churches, community centers and health organizations. Harrison analyzes the capabilities music-making develops, and musical moments where human rights are respected, promoted, threatened, or violated. The book offers insights on the relationship between music and poverty, a social deprivation that diminishes capabilities and rights. It contributes to the human rights literature by examining
critically how human rights can be strengthened in cultural practices and policy.

Contents:

Acknowledgements
Introduction

Chapter 1: Music in Urban Poverty: Why Rights? Why Capabilities?

Part I: Popular Music for Vancouver's Poor
Chapter 2: Jams and Music Therapy Sessions
Chapter 3: Organizations Hosting Music-Making for Urban Poor

Part II: Human Rights and Capability Development in Musical Moments
Chapter 4: The Human Right to Health: Autonomy
Chapter 5: Harm Reduction
Chapter 6: Women's Rights
Chapter 7: Self-determination
Chapter 8: The Right to the City during Gentrification
Part III: Conclusions
Chapter 9: The Power to Do Something

References