Music as an element of violence and torture

Abstract

This article focuses on a current trend in scientific research that examines the relationship between music, power, and violence. This topic has a long history, many possible aspects for study, and is being developed within a range of disciplines, including musicology. The article considers the distinctions between music and all other forms of art, the "intersection" of music and violence throughout several historical eras, and pays attention to the most resonant methods of using music as a "tool" for torture and violence. The aim of the research is to develop a comprehensive understanding of how music and violence interact, and what risks and potential problems exist in this area. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the attempt to systematize and generalize existing scientific data and experience within this field, which is still relatively new, including for domestic science. As a result, a synthesis of the current state of research in the nature of the relationships between music, violence, and power is produced, and priority vectors for further interdisciplinary interaction are identified and outlined.

References

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Author information

About this article

Publication history

• Received: May 14, 2025.
• Published: June 25, 2025.

Keywords

• пытки «без прикосновений»
• воздействие музыки
• Гуантанамо
• заключенные
• физический вред
• унижение
• контроль
• no-touch torture
• impact of music
• Guantanamo
• prisoners
• physical harm
• humiliation
• control

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© 2025 The Author(s)
© 2025 Gramota Publishing, LLC

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Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)