Directed by Dr Joshua S. Bamford, the Biological Anthropology of Music (BAM) Lab studies the bio-cultural evolution of music and musicality through cross-cultural and cross-species perspectives. We aim to understand why people make music, in terms of the advantages that music provides to our species, with a focus on the social bonding outcomes of joint musicking. We also study how the social benefits of music are applied in modern societies, through community music-making, and through enculturation and education.
The BAM Lab is affiliated with the Finnish Centre of Excellence in Music, Mind, Body and Brain (CoEMMBB), and collaborates within the centre on numerous projects. We also maintain a long-term partnership with the Social Body Lab at the Centre for the Study of Social Cohesion, University of Oxford.
The BAM Lab is comprised of many research students from a variety of backgrounds. See below for information about our current students, and for any prospective students who may wish to join the group.
