Interrupting Democracy:

Mean Girls, Leftover Boys, and Power

Struggles in the Popular Music Classroom

Kelly Bylica and Alison Butler, Western University

Progressive Methods in Popular Music Education, June 2018

@Kelly_Bylica
@EducatingAlison
#pmpme2018
 Interrupting Democracy:
Mean Girls, Leftover Boys, and Power
Struggles in the Popular Music Classroom

Kelly Bylica and Alison Butler, Western University

Progressive Methods in Popular Music Education, June 2018

@Kelly_Bylica
@EducatingAlison
#pmpme2018
Popular music and gender disparity

“permeated by gender norms and expectations”

(Connell & Gibson, 2003, p. 8).

“a process of reproduction and continual enactment”

(Leonard, 2007, p. 181).

“two traits associated with masculinity: first, with

assertive and aggressive performance, and second,
with technological mastery”
(Björck, 2011, p. 10).
All-Girl Musicking, Claiming Space, and Power Grabs

“playing in a band...seems like endlessly

striving to conquer someone else’s
territory”
(Björck, 2011, p. 20).

“an all-girl group can reduce the

pressure”
(Green, 1997, p. 248).

“hold the promise of possibilities, of

what participation on equal terms could
be like,”
(Björck, 2013, p. 21-22).
Terminology
 Group Boys Girls
Group 1 2 5
Group 2 2 5
Group 3 8
Group 4 6

Table 1: composition of observed groups n=28

Drums Imogen

Bass Ashley

Guitar Charlotte

Keys Michelle and Tarryn

Vocals Alice

Table 2: members of Group 4

 Each role possesses positive and negative aspects, with positive features defined as traits seen as
contributory to group achievement and negative ones defined as detrimental to group achievement.
Role Positive Traits Negative Traits

DOMINANT DYNAMO DICTATOR

invested, engaged, domineering, soloistic,
motivated, initiator physical, manipulative

RESISTANT CHALLENGER COMBATANT

advocate, crusader, combative, dissenter
stands up to dominant
personality
PASSIVE WATCHFUL WALKOVER
calm, anti-conflict uninvested, unengaged,
unmotivated

HARMONIZING SERENE STAGNANT

peacemaker, people appeaser, placater
pleaser, negotiator
Michelle proposes a different drum ending that she insists was discussed in the past.

Michelle: “Slower, Imogen!” Imogen plays the original drum ending (Michelle does not like this option). Michelle
pulls out the tambourine, Tarryn stares off into space for awhile, and Imogen plays while clearly thinking about
something else. Alice is holding herself like she is self-conscious. Michelle moves to tambourining on her hand (so
that it’s even louder) .

They stop and Alice immediately says “I like it like that” Imogen has them run the ending again so that she can
demonstrate the second option. Alice clearly states that she likes the first one. Michelle: ”Yeah, but you’ve gotta have
it the same as the piano, you know what I mean?” Imogen agrees with Alice.

They do it again and again Michelle goes over to the drums and plays what she thinks. Michelle: “It’s gotta be the
same as the piano, remember we did that last week?” Imogen: “It can’t be the same as the piano or it would keep
going when all the band…when everybody stops.”

The argument continues. Imogen and Alice stand their ground. Michelle: “But we agreed last week that it would be
the other one…“ Imogen: “Do you want to see what it sounds like?” Michelle: “Let’s do what I was saying and then
we’ll see.” Imogen insists that she can’t do what Michelle is asking her to do. Michelle insists that Imogen doesn’t
understand what she’s asking. Michelle has lost Imogen and Alice, so she moves on to trying to get Charlotte on her
side. Charlotte starts to agree with Alice and Imogen, and Michelle starts saying that no one is understanding her.

They do it Michelle’s way. “Michelle: Do you see what I mean?” Alice disagrees and now won’t even look at
Michelle when she dismisses her. Imogen: “I think it sounds fine…” Charlotte agrees, but is careful to not take sides.

Michelle is losing and so she turns to Ruth and asks what she thinks. Ruth wants to hear it again. They do the
Imogen/Alice version. Ruth likes that one. Michelle complains that the piano was off and that we need to do it again.
They do it again and now try the other ending. Ruth now agrees with Michelle, who looks around the group daring
someone to challenge her.
The contributors

N.B. Tarryn = Green

The roles
Left = Contributors Centre = Michelle Right = Roles
Comparing Charlotte and Imogen
Comparing Alice and Michelle
Comparing Tarryn and Michelle
 What we found

“However, I am not implying that all-female environments function

exactly the same way as mixed or all-male environments. Here, Green’s
(1997, 248) statement that an all-girl group can reduce the pressure
provides nuance.”

(Björck 2011, p. 26)

 Questions about our coding of roles
What would the charts look like:
• With a similar observation of the all-boys group? Or
either of the mixed groups?
• If we subdivided each of the four roles into their
positive and negative traits?
• In a different school or with a different age group?

Did the learning experience differ for students who

moved between roles, compared to those who occupied
one role throughout?

Will there always be a ‘Michelle’ in group learning

contexts?
 Selected References

Björck, C. (2011). Freedom, constraint, or both? readings on popular music and

gender. Action, Criticism and Theory for Music Education, 10(2), 8.

Björck, C. (2013). A Music Room of One’s Own: Discursive Constructions of Girls-only

Spaces for Learning Popular Music. Girlhood Studies, 6:2, 11-29.

Connell J., & Gibson, C. (2003). Sound Tracks: Popular Music, Identity, and Place.
London: Routledge.

Green, L. (1997). Music, Gender, Education. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Leonard, M. (2007). Gender in the Music Industry: Rock, Discourse and Girl Power. Aldershot:
Ashgate.