Over the past three decades, applied ethnomusicology has emerged as a major force in working with music, culture and communities worldwide, generating a wealth of new approaches and practices. Explicitly or implicitly, these often question the traditional role of the music researcher as merely an objective observer; they invite taking greater responsibility and deeper engagement with the people we work with. Highlighting an exciting diversity of local practices with global implications, this volume illustrates how to work of contemporary ethnomusicologists intersects with major issues such as social justice, education, representation, and intangible cultural heritage. With contributions from six different continents, the fourteen chapters in this volume constitute an important step in the international dialogue in scope, methods and goals of ethnomusicology in the 21st century.