In this groundbreaking work of musicology, sociologist Jaap Kunst examines the ways in which music reflects and shapes society. Drawing on his extensive research into the musical traditions of the world, Kunst explores the social, cultural, and political dimensions of music, and offers a compelling vision of the role that music can play in building a more just and inclusive world. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.