Harris Berger

Harris M. Berger is a Professor of Music and Folklore at Memorial University of Newfoundland, holding the Canada Research Chair in Ethnomusicology and serving as Director of the Research Centre for the Study of Music, Media, and Place (MMaP). He holds a B.A. from Wesleyan University and M.A./Ph.D. from Indiana University. His research focuses on ethnomusicology, folklore studies, and popular music, particularly heavy metal music and phenomenological approaches to music experience.

Key roles include co-editor of the Journal of American Folklore, founder of the Society for Ethnomusicology’s Popular Music Section, and co-founder of Music Research Annual. He has authored or edited influential books like Metal Rules the Globe and Stance: Ideas about Emotion. As MMaP director, he oversees live events and the Back on Track audio series, preserving Newfoundland’s musical heritage.

His scholarly work bridges theory and practice, emphasizing global music cultures, applied ethnomusicology, and interdisciplinary methods. Berger’s articles explore topics like metal subcultures, music perception, and the intersection of folklore and institutional dynamics.