Ethical considerations for International Service-Learning in Music Therapy (ISL-MT)

Music therapists are increasingly engaging in international opportunities such as International Service-Learning (ISL) and international clinical volunteerism. Although research on international music therapy activities is burgeoning, there is an absence of literature regarding ethical considerations when participating in international music therapy projects. The purpose of this paper is to initiate discourse and reflect on the ethics of International Service-Learning in Music Therapy (ISL-MT) based on a review of existing literature in the field. I define ISL-MT as a structured experience in another country in which individuals participate in an organised service activity involving “music therapy” to address identified community needs, learn through direct intercultural musical and non-musical interactions, and reflect on the experience to deepen their understanding and appreciation of “music therapy” as well as global and intercultural issues. Utilising a postcolonial ethics of care, which integrates postcolonial theory, postdevelopment theory, and feminist ethics of care, I describe and discuss ethical issues that emerge from the complex interactions during ISL-MT between and within the sending organisation (staff and participants) and the host community (local staff and recipients). Reflecting on these ethical dilemmas, I propose three recommendations for engaging in ISL-MT: adopting a posture of cultural humility, reimagining ISL-MT as reciprocal learning and relationship building, as well as integrating anti-colonial strategies into ISL-MT research. Given the paucity of research, scholars should investigate the impact of ISL-MT from the host community’s perspective. As international music therapy projects continue to grow, more discourse around the ethics of such activities is needed, particularly in conjunction with other global issues such as the climate crisis.