Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

• I haven't used the site for a while and I've forgotten my username/password!

Click on the 'Request new password' button (on the 'login/create account' page of the 'User Account' menu). You can enter either your username or your e-mail address and the website will email you a new password automatically. You can later change your password again yourself to something more memorable in the 'My Account' settings. 

• I forgot my username/password, but have received a new password, and logged back in. I am a member in good standing and when I used the site before I had access to the Members Section. Now I do not. Why is this?

Perhaps you are now using a different email from the last time, and used this rather than your username to request a new password and retrieve your account. If so, the system may not automatically recognise you. If you are a member in good standing and expecting to have access to the members area, but don't, pop a brief email to membershipbfe.org.uk

, and your accounts can be merged so that you still enjoy the benefits associated with your old account.

• How do I renew my membership? How do I sign up for membership?

​Go to the join/renew membership page which will help you log in to the website and then lead you through a simple online process to join or renew membership.

• I'm a new joiner. After I've paid, how long does it take to activate my membership?

Your membership needs to be activated by a member of BFE staff. Depending on what point in the week and what time of day you fill out the form, we aim to do this within a day or two at the latest. Many times it will be much quicker. We need to do this as a procedure simply to check that the payment system has worked. Once completed, you will be sent an email (Subject: "Thank you for joining/renewing your BFE membership!") to confirm that your membership has indeed been activated. If you subsequently log in to the website again you will now be able to see the Members Section menu.

• I've just joined (or renewed) but can't see the Members Section menu on the website...

Wait for the membership renewal email sent by BFE staff. This will confirm that your membership is activated. If you've paid, it shouldn't take us too long to get back to you! You may now have to log out and log back in again on the website to trigger access to the members-only area. If you still encounter a problem, don't hesitate to contact membershipbfe.org.uk

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• I used to pay Taylor & Francis for BFE membership by Direct Debit. Isn't this still valid? You've sent me a renewal notice. What should I do?

It is not possible to transfer Direct Debit mandates straight from one organization to another. Your old Direct Debit mandate with T&F was cancelled and T&F did not take payment for 2017 membership onwards by this means. Apologies for the inconvenience. The BFE will be setting up a new means of paying by Direct Debit in the near future but in the interim we hope that you also find it much easier now to pay straight away via the website (using a Credit or Debit Card, or Paypal, or directly by Bank Transfer). We will be getting in touch with you to offer a Direct Debit option for future payments. Please note that as of 2018 membership we also introduced a range of other options for paying for BFE membership, including a 2-year membership, and Life Membership.

• I am a new joiner. If I subscribe to 2019 membership, when does my membership start?

Upon joining you become a member immediately, so if you join in the late autumn you enjoy the benefits of a few extra weeks of membership (2019 membership will then only lapse on 31-12-2019). 2019 membership only entitles you to the 2019 Ethnomusicology Forum issues, however, not those from 2018.

• I am joining now but I would like copies of the 2018 journal...

To receive copies of the journal for 2018 issues, you must still subscribe to a 2018 membership.

For hard copies of earlier journals: for 2017 volumes contact membershipbfe.org.uk

, but for 2016 and earlier membership was run by the journal publisher (Taylor & Francis) who can be contacted directly at TF.Societiesinforma.com.

• I'm worried about the security of my bank card data. How do I know that BFE will look after my card details?

The BFE neither sees nor stores any of your personal banking or card details. Whether paying by Debit or Credit Card, or using Paypal money-transfer itself, this side of things and associated data is all managed exclusively through the robust Paypal financial security systems. The BFE can only check that payment has indeed been received and from whom.

• I'm worried that my contact details are kept secure. What guarantees can you give?

The BFE now manages membership 'in-house'. This will enable the organization to be more responsive to members and a closer relationship to members will have benefits for all. To this end, the BFE requires your name and postal address for the purposes of sending out copies of the journal (to ensure prompt delivery please ensure that if you move house your address details are updated!). This basic data (name and address) is shared with Routledge (Taylor & Francis) because, as before, the journal is sent directly to members by the publisher. The main email you supply will be used to make contact with you about BFE-related matters (renewals etc). If you have signed up to the BFE mailing list (currently a JISCMail system) then the email you supply for this will be used to send you the listserve traffic, according to your specifications (digest, daily summary, every mail). Your contact data is only visible to BFE systems administrator staff. The BFE guarantees that it will never pass your data on to third parties or marketeers. The BFE aims to be compliant with all the standards and requirements of GDPR legislation.

• I'm a member already. Do I need to join the BFE mailing list too?

Yes. The BFE has operated a listserve using the common JISCMail service for many years. There is a general list for non-members, and a members-only list which includes mailings specific to members only. This remains the main BFE mailing list. Now that membership is run in-house we will soon be able to run all mailing lists through the in-house system, hopefully making both your lives and the lives of BFE administrators easier! When this happens, if you are already signed up to the JISCMail mailing lists, you shouldn't have to do anything to stay updated with BFE mailings.

• How do I subscribe or unsubscribe to the BFE mailing list?

​Please use this page.

• What is the refunds policy?

The BFE is not usually able to offer a refund for payments already made (payment processors can charge very high fees for this). If you have inadvertently paid too much or twice for membership, by direct bank transfer or otherwise, then the BFE treasurer or membership officer will be in touch to help arrange the best solution (which may depend on original mode of payment and location of sender). Event fees (and refund policies) will depend on the host institution, not the BFE, if they are running their own delegate payments system. If you have any queries do not hesitate to contact treasurerbfe.org.uk.

• I'm a student thinking of joining the BFE. What special resources does BFE offer students?

In addition to preferential student rates for BFE conferences, the joint BFE-RMA student conference, Study Day 1-Day Symposims and other events, BFE student members may apply for bursaries to help with the costs of attending the annual three-day conference. Student members who present at that conference are also eligible for the BFE Best Student Paper Prize. As of 2016 the BFE also launched a Fieldwork Grant Scheme open to doctoral candidates who are also BFE members in good standing. BFE also aims to increase networking opportunities among students and to this aim have supported student-initiated reading groups as well as IMR (Institute of Musical Research) training events. For other advantages of membership see the section on the join/renew membership page.