Garnett S. Stokes, President - The University of New Mexico Board of Regents | University of New Mexico
Garnett S. Stokes, President - The University of New Mexico Board of Regents | University of New Mexico
Kristina Jacobsen, an associate professor at the University of New Mexico specializing in ethnomusicology, songwriting, and anthropology, has released an Italian translation of her book "Sing me back home: songwriting etnografico e poltica della lingua sarda." The translation was published by NeoClassica Press in Rome and completed by Antonio Gambacorta. The book became available earlier this February.
Jacobsen plans to promote her book across Sardinia and mainland Italy through a series of events that will feature readings and live performances.
The content of the book is based on Jacobsen's 13-month field study conducted as a U.S.-Italy Fulbright Scholar. During her time on the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, she immersed herself in studying the Sardinian language, collaborating with local musicians, and developing what she describes as "ethnographic songwriting."
This approach involves co-writing music with various Sardinian contributors including musicians, artisans, shepherds, poets, and language activists. The book explores how American music influences narratives about Sardinian lives and language ideologies while highlighting how local musicians blend genres to create unique expressions.
Paul Stoller from West Chester University commends Jacobsen’s work: “Jacobsen delivers a brilliant ethnography. Through her sensuous descriptions of Sardinian social life, she offers us a new way to explore the hidden dimensions of language, song and culture. This soulful work is destined to become an anthropological classic.”
While in Sardinia, Jacobsen also recorded her fourth album featuring original songs created with local songwriters and language activists. Her book includes these songs along with links to them in each chapter, lyrics, a glossary of key terms, and photographs from her time on the island.
Jacobsen's upcoming project is a film titled “From Sardinia to New Mexico: Multipart Singing as Cultural Exchange,” produced alongside Diego Pani under commission in Italy. It will be showcased at the Guild Cinema in Albuquerque; attendance is free but requires advance reservations via AMP Concerts' website.
For those interested in reading the English version of Jacobsen's book, it is available through UTP Publishing.
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