Ethnographies of Sound Studies

4 credits · Graduate

This seminar will explore the trajectories and creative possibilities within sound studies through close reading of groundbreaking and recent ethnographic monographs. Each monograph is paired with theoretical texts from various fields that have informed the analytical and methodological approaches taken by the author. Students will consider the new possibilities and limitations that sound offers us, not only as a scholarly subject but also a medium of creative expression and social critique. Many authors will visit as guests—this will also provide an opportunity to inquire into the process of writing monographs; to learn how to generate generative and generous questions; and to ask how to participate in and create a scholarly community.