Review of Music, Emotion and Identity in Ulster Marching Bands: Flutes, Drums and Loyal Sons, by Gordon Ramsey (Peter Lang, 2011)

4 Book Reviews scholarly community who argue that American nationalism is the purest form of the political or civic type of nationalism (as opposed to the cultural or ethnic type of nationalism). Kramer correctly emphasizes that all nationalisms – not only the American brand – contained civic elements and that American nationalism like other nationalisms relied on practices of racial, ethnic and political exclusion. To fully lay to rest the claim of an American exceptionalism, however, a book-length treatment of the subject – instead of merely a chapter in a general introduction to nationalism – will be necessary. JASPER M. TRAUTSCH Free University of Berlin Gordon Ramsey, Music, Emotion and Identity in Ulster Marching Bands: Flutes, Drums and Loyal Sons. Bern: Peter Lang, 2011, 334pp. £44.00 (pbk). Gordon Ramsey’s Music, Emotion and Identity in Ulster Marching Bands is an ethnographic study of flute bands in Northern Ireland based on the author’s doctorial dissertation from Queen’s University Belfast. Ramsey employs the ‘participantobservation’ methodology pioneered within ethnomusicology by Mantle Hood and John Blacking in the 1970s. The book is based on eight years of research conducted through the author’s membership in three bands based in County Antrim, Northern Ireland: Ballykeel Loyal Sons of Ulster Flute-Band (BLSOU); Ballyclare Victoria Flute-Band (BVFB); and Sir George White Memorial Flute-Band, Broughshane (SGWM). Ramsey sets out to explore connections between musical practice, political commitment and identity, and the ways in which aesthetic and emotional factors shape these relationships. More specifically, he examines what motivates men and women to join bands. The book is aimed not only at readers interested in both the music of marching bands and Ulster’s political culture, but also at those concerned with wider study of identity. Ramsey differentiates his work from previous research on Ulster marching bands (by Neil Jarmen, Dominic Bryan and others) by approaching the topic of identity through a phenomenological analysis of performing music. He is interested in how participation in musical practice contributes to the formation of an ‘Ulster-Scots’ identity. Ramsey lays out his methodology and the context of his study in the introduction. He addresses his own identity, describing himself as working class, and explores the issue of potential biases (asserting that he is aiming not to produce objective findings, but rather to be seeking a shared understanding through participation). In chapter two, he explores theoretical approaches to the study of identity, focusing on those of Bourdieu and Wenger. Emphasising his interest in the emotional effects of music, he discusses the concepts of ‘flow’ and ‘communitas’ that are central to his argument and explores the history of aesthetics as well as class structure. In chapter three, he provides an historical survey of parading traditions in Ulster – from the origins of fife-and-drum ensembles to more recent developments, among them the ‘blood-and-thunder’ genre that appeared in the 1970s – and their place among the working class. In chapters four and five, he discusses his recruitment in BVFB, his experiences in street parades and tensions between parade and contest bands. In chapter six, Ramsey discusses the © The author(s) 2013. Nations and Nationalism © ASEN/John Wiley & Sons Ltd 2013 Book Reviews 5 SGWM’s participation in the annual Boyne celebrations (which he terms ‘commemorations’) in Ayrshire, Scotland. In chapter seven, he explores in detail the place of class in band membership, focusing on the ‘blood-and-thunder’ repertoire, and in chapter eight he summarizes his findings, reflecting on the place of music in shaping individual and community identity. Ramsey argues that through the communal activity of participating in flute bands (‘musicing’, to use Christopher Small’s term), marginalised members of society are able to achieve ‘positively-valued emotional states’. Building on Wenger’s concept of ‘communities of practice’, Ramsey contends that marching bands are political in several ways, but primarily in that they are defined by their Protestant membership and thus contribute to defining the boundary between Protestant and Catholic communities. Despite this, given the relative peace of recent years, he believes bands could play a positive role in Protestant–Catholic relations. His narrative might be seen to support this hope, as he relates musicians’ views that are largely free of hostility towards Catholics. It is, however, an argument likely to be viewed with some scepticism by those who have seen marching bands as perpetuators of sectarian conflict. Although Ramsey’s argument may not persuade all of his readers, the book opens the dialogue on Northern Ireland in a new direction. Stylistically, it is highly engaging. Ramsey’s use of the first person helps to bring the reader into the world of the musician. Without resorting to superficial descriptions of the music, he has written in a way that makes the book accessible to non-musicians. Also, his discussion of the structure of the instruments, in chapter three, is useful for the general reader, while an appendix provides more detailed information that some readers may not require. That said, the book would in places be strengthened by the inclusion of audio and visual materials. Ramsey addresses their absence in the introduction, mentioning that there is an abundance of audio and video resources on the Internet without citing specific materials. The author or publisher might address this deficiency by providing audio-visual materials on a website. Similarly, Ramsey’s discussion of the structure of the flute and of band uniforms would gain clarity with a few simple illustrations. Doing so would add to what is already a solid contribution to the study of Ulster-Scots identity and to the wider literature on how music contributes to identity formation. BRIAN C. THOMPSON The Chinese University of Hong Kong Bruce Maddy Weitzman, The Berber Identity Movement and the Challenge to North African States. Austin: University of Texas Press, 2011, 292pp. £20.99 (pbk), £37 (hbk). Bruce Maddy-Weitzman is Research Fellow at the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies at Tel Aviv University. He is also Associate Scholar at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, a non-profit organization ‘devoted to bringing the insights of scholarship to bear on the development of policies that advance U.S. national interests’ (http://www.fpri.org/about/). His most recent book is a fairly wellinformed volume on Berber/Amazigh socio-political issues, dealing with precolonial, colonial and postcolonial times and focusing prominently on Morocco and Algeria. The book is structured into three parts and seven chapters. It also includes a chapter of conclusions, notes and a comprehensive list of sources. The first part of the book © The author(s) 2013. Nations and Nationalism © ASEN/John Wiley & Sons Ltd 2013