Sociological analaysis of music education in Turkey: A sociological research in Gazi University Music Education Department

In this thesis it is aimed to reveal the sociological substructure of music education by examining the degree of effects of social and economic situations of students, studying in institutions of music educations, on their preferences about music education, expectations, applications, attitudes and thoughts. Sociological analysis of music education provides the visibility of not only social and economic differences but also the inequalities that originates from these differences. In this research it is used both quantitative and qualitative methods for searching and constructing the relation between the effects of differences and inequalities on music education and perspectives and differences of perceptions of candidates of teachers of music education and the ideas, perspectives, interpretations and experiences of music education teachers. In this research the data from quantitative research is gathered from structured interviews that are conducted 103 students and analyzed with SPSS; the findings of qualitative research is also gathered form the face-to-face interviews with teachers of music education. In the light of data collected it is understood that variables which, measure the social and economic status like sex, age, born place, urban and rural background, income level of students and education beside income level, ethnic status and occupation of families have a relation between the choices, expectations, applications, attitudes and ideas about music education. Consequently, there has to be an increase in the varieties of music types used in education; the differences has to be observed; open and gratuitous courses has to supported for the benefit of amateur music education and special skills exams; beside the improvements in physical conditions of colleges and dormitories, financial supports have to be improved and lastly, the racist, nationalist, sexist songs and marches that has been used in music education have to be revised in the name of creating a more libertarian space in music education.