s.4.4-Instruments of abuse: weaponizing music in human rights violations

s.4.4-Instruments of abuse: weaponizing music in human rights violations

Author: Global Campus of Human Rights March 18, 2026 Duration: 37:23

This episode of the fourth series in the Global Campus “To the Righthouse” podcast programme explores how music has been used as an instrument of human rights abuse in different contexts, from torture and ill-treatment in US detention centers in Guantánamo to forced assimilation of Uyghurs in the Xinjiang Region in China. It also reveals how music can restore humanity and identity in the face of brutality and erasure.

* Mansoor Adayfi-441

is a Yemeni writer, activist, and former Guantánamo Bay detainee, imprisoned for nearly 15 years without charge. Since his release, he has become a committed advocate for human rights, highlighting the experiences of former detainees and the global consequences of the War on Terror. He is the author of Don’t Forget Us Here and the recently released Letter from Guantánamo. As the Guantánamo Project Coordinator at CAGE International, Mansoor co founded the Guantánamo Survivors Fund (GSF). 

* Rachel Harris

is Professor of Ethnomusicology at SOAS, University of London. She has published extensively on music and religious practice in Central Asia, and the politics of ethnicity and heritage in China. Her latest book is Soundscapes of Uyghur Islam (Indiana University Press). Her current project, “Maqām Beyond Nation” (2023-2028) explores maqām-based music-making across Asia, connecting histories of mobility and exchange with contemporary flows of people and culture.

* Manfred Nowak

is Professor of International Human Rights Law at the University of Vienna and Secretary General of the Global Campus of Human Rights. Among many expert functions, he was UN Special Rapporteur on Torture (2004-2010).



 


Produced by the Global Campus of Human Rights, To the Righthouse is a podcast that navigates the complex and often turbulent waters where human rights meet the real world. The title itself is a guiding metaphor: just as a lighthouse warns ships of perilous coasts, this series aims to illuminate the risks and challenges facing fundamental freedoms today, while also pointing toward potential harbours of safer, more robust protection. Each episode grapples with the persistent gap between lofty ideals and ground-level realities, exploring that difficult space where theory confronts practice. You’ll hear from a range of voices-academics, advocates, and those directly affected-who bring multiple perspectives to these urgent discussions. The conversations aren't about easy answers; they delve into the nuanced, sometimes contentious work of seeking stability and just solutions in an unstable world. This isn't a lecture series, but a thoughtful exploration for anyone curious about the forces shaping dignity and justice globally. Tune in for a podcast that serves as both a beacon of critical thought and a forum for genuine, enlightening dialogue on the social scientific dimensions of our rights.
Author: Language: en-gb Episodes: 23

To the Righthouse
Podcast Episodes
S.4.1 -Music and human rights: amplifying the resonances [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:24
The first episode of Sounds of Justice teases out the different dimensions of the relationship between music and human rights. The four guests, all co-editors of the Routledge Companion, explore what the language of musi…
S.4.2- Music and liberation politics in the African diaspora [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:10
Music has been central to how people of African descent – in the United States and across the diaspora – have imagined and demanded justice . From Paul Robeson and Nina Simone to the present, this episode of Sounds of Ju…
S.4.3-Soundscapes of resilience in India and Palestine [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:29
This episode of Sounds of Justice highlights two contexts where music has long voiced struggles for justice and human rights.From‘rebellious music gatherings’ spearheading the anti-caste movement in India to Palestinian…
S3.8 - Reimagining governance [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:22
Politics and human rights or politics through human rights? We conclude this series with a conversation with Anja Mihr* focusing on the difference between ‘politics and human rights’ on the one hand and ‘politics through…
S3.7 - Reimagining actors [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:32
On the relevance of meaningful participation of stakeholders in politics One way to reimagine politics is to go through re-imagining the actual involvement of different actors. We talked about this with Gauri Van Gulik*…
S3.6 - Reimaging power [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:09
About the interplay between geopolitics and human rights Current geopolitical tensions play a very relevant role in politics, but what is the role of human rights there? To answer some of the questions surrounding this h…
S3.5 - Reimagining influence [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:44
How can National Human Rights Institutions (NHRI) impact on politics? We continue the series with a conversation about spheres of influence in politics. We do this together with Debbie Kohner* who talks about NHRI and th…
S3.4 - Reimagining spaces [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:40
The importance of making room for rights-based politics In this episode, recorded during the FRA FORUM in Vienna, we focus on practicing human rights-based politics in institutional structures and spaces. Morten Kjaerum*…
S3.3 - Reimagining values [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:41
What about culture as politics? Our guest in this episode is Alexandra Xanthaki*, UN Special Rapporteur on Cultural Rights. Based on her work and a series of reports that she has released, we asked her: What role is ther…