Chilean musical and political themes were an important element of East German life during the socialist presidency of Salvador Allende (1970–1973) and the violent military dictatorship (1973–1990) that overthrew him. The musical movement nueva canción (new song) was critical in mobilising solidarity with Chile around the world. In East Germany, the state-sponsored Singebewegung (singing movement) and the Liedermacher*innen1 (song makers) who were sometimes more openly critical both performed Chilean themes and covers. In addition to promoting solidarity, both groups drew on the musical identity of this group to arouse political participation towards different ends.

This article discusses reciprocity in research as engaged scholarship and, more specifically, applied ethnomusicology. It draws on two ethnographic studies and their associated activism in Cape Town, South Africa and Lagos, Nigeria. The article investigates the histories of engaged scholarship and applied ethnomusicology and suggests that each community requires a method of engagement based on its contextual specifics. Hence, the case studies may be seen to animate workable approaches in different socio-cultural contexts. The paper concludes that these methods may serve as frameworks for developing site-specific strategies of engaged scholarship in other parts of Africa.

Today, the trajectory of Lebanese diva Fairuz’s career has become synonymous with the development of a Lebanese national subjectivity. Her performance of musical works by the Rahbani Brothers at Lebanon’s Baalbak International Festival from the 1950s–70s helped to form a Lebanese national musical style. Through close listening and analysis, this article explores the entanglement of Fairuz’s early music with both the Baalbak Festival and early Lebanese nationalist efforts, arguing that this music’s sound and style consciously laboured to articulate an emergent sense of national identity.