Study Group “Auditory History”

The IMS Study Group “Auditory History” is an international and interdisciplinary forum for scholars at all career stages established to stimulate an exchange of current research on global auditory experiences and sonic environments of the past. To achieve that, the study group favors multisensorial approaches to discourse within sound studies and also encourages inclusion of historical, cultural, and acoustemological perspectives on aurality. It aims to facilitate critical discussion, theory-building, and long-term collaboration across disciplinary boundaries: anthropology, archaeology, architecture and art history, ecology, history, literature, musicology, sociology, philosophy. It focuses on aspects of the acoustic environment such as subjectivity, memory, sonic heritage, emotion and affect, spatial and social dimensions of sound, and history of auditory perception. Importantly, the study group is committed to cultural diversity and inclusivity.

The initiative for the study group was first born during the 21st Quinquennial IMS Congress in Athens in August 2022 in the aula of the Athens University School of Philosophy and realized throughout the following months. The study group strives to organize at least two meetings annually, regularly participate at conferences of various disciplines in form of themed panels, and to organize a symposium or conference in collaboration with one of the participant’s institutions at least once every two years.

The study group is open to scholars at all career stages, encouraging transgenerational exchange of ideas, working in any of the above-mentioned fields. If you wish to become a member, please email the chairs of the study group.

Tin Cugelj (CH), Salih Demirtaş (TR)

Helen Coffey (UK), Alexandros Hatzikiriakos (IT), Tess Knighton (ES), Esperanza Rodríguez García (ES), Julia Samp (DE)

For a report of recent activities, as well as older reports, see the IMS Publication Archive.