CONSTRUCTING 'CULTURAL IDENTITY' IN MUSIC EDUCATION: FUNCTIONS, PATHWAYS, AND REFLECTIONS

Abstract This paper aims to systematically explore the core concepts and practical pathways for constructing "cultural identity" in music education. The article first elucidates the three core functions of music education from a functionalist perspective. Subsequently, based on a pathway approach, it proposes systematic innovations across three levels. Finally, the paper introduces critical reflections, pointing out the need to guard against the potential tendencies of essentialization and labeling in cultural identity construction, as well as the power relations implicit within them. It advocates for an open, dialogic, and reflective music education practice that respects cultural hybridity, with the goal of enabling music education to truly become an important pathway for promoting deep cultural understanding and cultivating a healthy cultural subjectivity.