‘Tip me one of your ballads, why then we should drop into poetry’: Curricular framing of protest songs as a resource for citizenship education

John Gordon; Alan Finlayson

‘Tip me one of your ballads, why then we should drop into poetry’: Curricular framing of protest songs as a resource for citizenship education

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (peer-reviewed) › peer-review

Abstract

This chapter explores the educational potential of studying popular song by examining examples of protest song archived for the project Our Subversive Voice? The History and Politics of English Protest Music.
The chapter proposes protest song as an expression of citizenship, and asks these questions:
What are the potential educational merits and uses of protest song in Secondary education?
Where could protest song be located in the curriculum and with what rationale?
What pedagogies might apply to the distinctive modalities of protest song?
How could study of protest song relate to national identity and citizenship education?
The educational possibilities of the folk song genre have been considered by teachers, education researchers and policy makers working in the field of English education for over one hundred years. This chapter presents examples of English protest song, exploring their relationship with citizenship education and how they might be framed in curricula English and first language (L1) l

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Society, Politics and Education in Uncertain Times
Subtitle of host publication	Rethinking Citizenship and Belonging in International Contexts
Editors	Harry Dyer, Agnieszka Bates, John Gordon, Geoffrey Hinchliffe
Publisher	Taylor and Francis
Chapter	8
ISBN (Print)	9781032658254, 9781032658247
Publication status	Published - 22 Sept 2025

Produce, Reduce, Recycle: Phonocenes of Citizenship
Dyer, H. & Rennolds, N., 22 Sept 2025, Society, Politics and Education in Uncertain Times: Rethinking Citizenship and Belonging in International Contexts. Dyer, H., Bates, A., Gordon, J. & Hinchliffe, G. (eds.). Routledge, p. 94-109 16 p.
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter
Society, Politics and Education in Uncertain Times: Rethinking Citizenship and Belonging in International Contexts
Dyer, H. (Editor), Bates, A. (Editor), Gordon, J. (Editor) & Hinchliffe, G. (Editor), 22 Sept 2025, Routledge. 240 p.
Research output: Book/Report › Book

Cite this

Gordon, J., & Finlayson, A. (2025). ‘Tip me one of your ballads, why then we should drop into poetry’: Curricular framing of protest songs as a resource for citizenship education. In H. Dyer, A. Bates, J. Gordon, & G. Hinchliffe (Eds.), Society, Politics and Education in Uncertain Times : Rethinking Citizenship and Belonging in International Contexts Taylor and Francis.

Gordon, John ; Finlayson, Alan. / ‘Tip me one of your ballads, why then we should drop into poetry’ : Curricular framing of protest songs as a resource for citizenship education. Society, Politics and Education in Uncertain Times : Rethinking Citizenship and Belonging in International Contexts. editor / Harry Dyer ; Agnieszka Bates ; John Gordon ; Geoffrey Hinchliffe. Taylor and Francis, 2025.

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abstract = "This chapter explores the educational potential of studying popular song by examining examples of protest song archived for the project Our Subversive Voice? The History and Politics of English Protest Music. The chapter proposes protest song as an expression of citizenship, and asks these questions: What are the potential educational merits and uses of protest song in Secondary education? Where could protest song be located in the curriculum and with what rationale? What pedagogies might apply to the distinctive modalities of protest song? How could study of protest song relate to national identity and citizenship education? The educational possibilities of the folk song genre have been considered by teachers, education researchers and policy makers working in the field of English education for over one hundred years. This chapter presents examples of English protest song, exploring their relationship with citizenship education and how they might be framed in curricula English and first language (L1) l",

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‘Tip me one of your ballads, why then we should drop into poetry’: Curricular framing of protest songs as a resource for citizenship education. / Gordon, John ; Finlayson, Alan.
Society, Politics and Education in Uncertain Times : Rethinking Citizenship and Belonging in International Contexts. ed. / Harry Dyer; Agnieszka Bates; John Gordon; Geoffrey Hinchliffe. Taylor and Francis, 2025.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (peer-reviewed) › peer-review

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AU - Finlayson, Alan

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Y1 - 2025/9/22

N2 - This chapter explores the educational potential of studying popular song by examining examples of protest song archived for the project Our Subversive Voice? The History and Politics of English Protest Music. The chapter proposes protest song as an expression of citizenship, and asks these questions: What are the potential educational merits and uses of protest song in Secondary education? Where could protest song be located in the curriculum and with what rationale? What pedagogies might apply to the distinctive modalities of protest song? How could study of protest song relate to national identity and citizenship education? The educational possibilities of the folk song genre have been considered by teachers, education researchers and policy makers working in the field of English education for over one hundred years. This chapter presents examples of English protest song, exploring their relationship with citizenship education and how they might be framed in curricula English and first language (L1) l

AB - This chapter explores the educational potential of studying popular song by examining examples of protest song archived for the project Our Subversive Voice? The History and Politics of English Protest Music. The chapter proposes protest song as an expression of citizenship, and asks these questions: What are the potential educational merits and uses of protest song in Secondary education? Where could protest song be located in the curriculum and with what rationale? What pedagogies might apply to the distinctive modalities of protest song? How could study of protest song relate to national identity and citizenship education? The educational possibilities of the folk song genre have been considered by teachers, education researchers and policy makers working in the field of English education for over one hundred years. This chapter presents examples of English protest song, exploring their relationship with citizenship education and how they might be framed in curricula English and first language (L1) l

M3 - Chapter (peer-reviewed)

SN - 9781032658254

SN - 9781032658247

BT - Society, Politics and Education in Uncertain Times

A2 - Dyer, Harry

A2 - Bates, Agnieszka

A2 - Gordon, John

A2 - Hinchliffe, Geoffrey

PB - Taylor and Francis

ER -

‘Tip me one of your ballads, why then we should drop into poetry’: Curricular framing of protest songs as a resource for citizenship education

Abstract

Research output

Produce, Reduce, Recycle: Phonocenes of Citizenship

Society, Politics and Education in Uncertain Times: Rethinking Citizenship and Belonging in International Contexts

Cite this