Can I sing? : the development of an artistic talent as a human right

Abstract

The modern definition of Human Rights has emerged from a hegemonic and imperialistic process where western values and challenges have established an international prioritization of understandings of dignity, education, moral, etc. However, a multicultural definition of Human Rights1, as a new post-imperial construction, where cultural damage caused by colonialism tries to be repaired, has to be necessary. Under this umbrella, the Right to Knowledge as a new human right can be introduced, allowing the possibility to recognize the existence of a plurality of knowledge. From that perspective, this thesis attempts to recognize Arts (focusing on music) as a cognitive system and the development of an artistic talent as a human right, supported by the fields of neuroscience, sociology and anthropology. In addition, in the last chapter, some examples on the role of music in the refugee context will be described by refugee musicians and by people living in a refugee camp in Greece.