This book investigates the complex, evolving definition of folk music within a globalized context, questioning how traditional practices survive and adapt in the modern era. Mark Slobin, a prominent ethnomusicologist, utilizes his extensive academic background to analyze the intersection of folk traditions with corporate interests, government policy, and non-governmental organizations. He presents a framework that moves beyond simple definitions, focusing instead on the dynamic processes that keep folk music relevant across diverse cultural landscapes.

Experts recognize this text as a concise, high-level synthesis of ethnomusicological theory regarding folk music. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which provides a rigorous foundation for students and scholars interested in the intersection of music and globalization.