I-STREAM · Islands in the Stream: Climate-related Disasters and the Rhythms of Caribbean Music

For decades, Caribbean musics have seen unparalleled global popularity, becoming key to the regions tourism economy. Yet today, Caribbean live music scenes are in peril, reeling from recurring climate-related disasters. In light of musics centrality to Caribbean tourism economies and cultural life and the increasing frequency and severity of climate related events, the stakes for understanding the role of live music in recovery processes is particularly high. Focusing on three urban contexts - San Juan (Puerto Rico), Kingston (Jamaica), and Havana (Cuba) - I-STREAM will investigate the impact of climate disaster on the long-term rhythms of musical activity the location, frequency and content of live music in the Caribbean. Responding to methodological challenges affecting research in disaster contexts such as the displacement of local population and cultural spaces I-STREAM will integrate ethnographic research with analysis of online concert videography - videos taken in the course of performance and uploaded to online platforms to analyze musical and geo-temporal data on processes of change and recovery following the occurrence of climate-related disasters. This will complement participatory on-site research and input from local stakeholders (concert goers, musicians and industry professionals) and will shed new light on the changing frequency and diversity of live music performances, a crucial index of displacement and touristification following major disasters in contexts - such as the Caribbean - where music holds a fundamental role in sustaining the economy and in the lives of local inhabitants.