Mary McBain
Meg.McBain@glasgow.ac.uk
https://orcid.org/0009-0005-5872-8103
Research title: Is Music Education a Human Right? An analysis of Music Education for Deaf children in Scotland, England and Australia.
Research Summary
I commenced my PhD in Music at UofG in October, 2024.
My project is multi- disciplinary across Music, Education and Law. The project investigates whether music education is a human right for all children, especially children who are Deaf. It considers how accessible music education is being facilitated in Scotland, England and Queensland (Australia). Additionally, it analyses whether rights-based approaches are applicable and/or effective in the context of accessible music education. The project relies on comparative educational research and philosophical approaches centred around the positive impacts that human rights-based methods could have on accessible music education for Deaf children. It will also generate and interpret empirical data sourced from interviews with Deaf musicians, Deaf children, their families, educators, and policy stakeholders.
Research interests:
- Inclusive Education
- Deaf Studies
- Human Rights based approaches in Arts research
- Children's Rights
- Incorporation of UNCRC in to Scots Law
- Disability Studies
- Participatory Research methods
- Music Education in Scotland
Previous research: 'How accessible is music to the Deaf community within the UK education system?'
Previous research group: https://music-human-social-development.eca.ed.ac.uk/mary-mcbain/
Grants
John Lunn Postgraduate Music Scholarship (2025)
Additional Information
I grew up in Queensland, Australia and returned to Scotland in 2014. I obtained a BA in French and Italian at the University of Strathclyde in 2017. Thereafter, I completed my BMus (Hons) at UofG in 2021.
I then completed an MSc by Research in Music at the University of Edinburgh in 2023. Finally, I completed a Post Graduate Certificate in Education (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland) in 2023. In addition to my research pursuits, I am a classically trained Soprano and Trumpet player with extensive solo and group performance experience, as well as relevant experience working as a freelance musician. I am most experienced in genres such as Opera, Art Song, Jazz and Musical Theatre. I also hold a Level 1 BSL qualification.