The Need for Cosmopolitanism In the Ontario 1-8 Arts (Music) Curriculum
Cosmopolitanism has recently been heavily discussed in educational contexts. The definition of cosmopolitanism is not concrete, and there are many different typologies and approaches to the concept. The ambiguity of this concept has created controversy over whether or not cosmopolitanism views should be implemented into school curricula. This paper discusses how the Ontario 1-8 Arts (music) Curriculum is lacking in multicultural content and doesn’t explicitly encourage or mandate that music from various cultures be taught in the classroom. This paper goes on to explore why some cosmopolitanism views (specifically the idea of a ‘global citizen’) fill this gap and counteract the current Eurocentric ideas that are apparent and being reinforced in the current Ontario music curriculum.