Identity and belonging in South American electroacoustic music

Abstract This article investigates identity formation among contemporary South American electroacoustic music composers through the lens of place, territory and socio-political context. Drawing on interviews with 27 composers from across the continent, the study explores how artistic practices are shaped by affective ties to geography, histories of colonialism, academic migration and technology. The analysis highlights five intersecting identity factors: mestizaje and cultural hybridity, decolonial thinking, political activism through sound composition, the tension between belonging and displacement in artistic mobility and the workaround aesthetic rooted in limited resources. Rather than portraying scarcity as a limitation, composers often embrace it as a creative force that fosters innovation and local specificity. The findings suggest that electroacoustic music in South America reflects not only a diversity of individual trajectories but also shared cultural dynamics that distinguish the region’s creative processes. These insights contribute to broader discussions on decolonisation, identity and the global circulation of music technologies.