Social transformation through community music projects: A scoping review

This article investigates the hypothesis that music can be a powerful catalyst for social transformation within specific territorial and social contexts. To explore this, a scoping review was conducted, aiming to identify the participants, networks and contexts described in the scientific literature on community music and to critically examine the criteria used over the last 15 years to analyse processes of social transformation. The review includes original articles from specialist journals published between 1 January 2008 and 15 February 2023, in both English and Spanish. Following the selection process using defined search terms across four databases, 270 articles were selected for analysis. The NVivo software was used to facilitate thematic coding and the construction of a node tree based on key analytical categories. Notably, there has been a surge in published literature over the last 5 years, reflecting growing academic interest in community music as a field. A significant finding of this review is that most studies concentrate on the personal benefits of participating in community music projects. However, many of these studies lack comprehensive analyses and tend to overlook the collective dynamics and broader societal dimensions of such initiatives. Context and implications Rationale for this study: Music can serve as a powerful catalyst for social transformation, particularly within specific territorial and socio-cultural contexts. In recent years, the field of community music has emerged as a distinct discipline that explores how collective musical practices contribute to such transformations. As a discipline in development, community music research is continuously evolving, shaped by ongoing debates over its epistemological foundations, theoretical frameworks and diverse practical applications. Why the new findings matter: This review offers an updated and critical synthesis of the literature on community music and its role in social transformation. By identifying the main participants, networks and contextual factors described in the last 15 years of research, it provides a clearer picture of how community music initiatives are understood and evaluated. In doing so, it highlights gaps and inconsistencies in the criteria used to assess their social impact. Implications for researchers, music educators and policy-makers: The findings of this review reveal that most existing studies focus on the personal benefits derived from participation in community music projects. However, these accounts often lack in-depth analyses of broader social dynamics, such as the collective processes, contextual variables and long-term sustainability of the initiatives. There is an urgent need for more robust and multidimensional assessment frameworks that go beyond individual outcomes to encompass group interactions and community-level impacts. Moreover, future research should examine the durability of social ties created through these projects and the mechanisms by which such connections are maintained or fade over time. Addressing these questions is essential for deepening our understanding of community music's transformative potential and for informing more effective practice and policy.