Anti-oppressive pedagogy as an opportunity for consciousness raising in the music therapy profession: A critical disability studies perspective

In pedagogic literature informed by critical disability studies, academia is widely cited as an ableist institution: the training ground for professions of normalcy. Music therapy could readily be complicit in this normalising discourse with its potential to pathologise participants and maintain a strict ‘normative divide’, between professionals it trains who engage provision. Activists, advocates disabled therapists have posed welcome challenge positioning recent publications, but pedagogical dimensions music area received less attention. The emerging signature pedagogy omissions will considered, which may explain need increased social justice focus curricula. This article considers applying Kumashiro’s typologies anti-oppressive education training: problematising existing pedagogies critically reflecting upon curriculum. These approaches reframe Otherness acknowledging expertise lived experience. Through introducing these frameworks socially just, pedagogies, invites consciousness raising through engagement studies theory philosophy.