The Spaces, Politics, and Cultural Economies of Electronic Dance Music

This paper examines the spaces, politics, and cultural economies of electronic dance music (EDM). I use geographical literature on EDM to argue that its hedonistic spaces have been forged via cultural economic practices which I conceptualize as constitutive of a process of ‘accumulation by cooperation’. In numerous contexts, the people of EDM – the DJs, producers, MCs, artists, promoters, and ravers – have chipped in, worked alongside each other, collaborated, and shared ideas, emotions, and knowledge with a view to producing and re-producing cultural economies and hedonistic spaces shot through by a complex, contradictory politics.