James McNally

James McNally is a Lecturer at the University of Illinois Chicago, teaching in the Departments of Theatre and Music and Latin American and Latino Studies. He holds a PhD and M.A. in Ethnomusicology from the University of Michigan and a B.A. in Music from Amherst College. His research spans sound studies, critical improvisation, critical race theory, and urban geography, with a focus on Brazilian music and cultural politics.

McNally’s work has been supported by prestigious fellowships including the Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Completion Fellowship and Fulbright-Hays Award. His current projects include a book on collaborative creativity in São Paulo’s experimental music scene and a digital humanities project mapping Brazilian collaboration networks. He has published in Music & Politics, Ethnomusicology, and other leading journals.

Before academia, McNally taught music in New York City public schools. He is also a practicing musician, performing in samba, gamelan ensembles, and electronic music improvisation.