The sound turn in cultural studies

Abstract

The aim of the study is to establish a holistic theoretical understanding of the sound turn in cultural studies. The article examines the prerequisites for the formation of the sound turn, its correlation with other cultural turns, as well as the main directions and methodological approaches, including acoustic ecology, auditory culture, soundscape, etc. Scientific novelty consists in the systematization of conceptual sound acoustic research and in the analysis of the features of its institutionalization in the Russian academic field. As a result of the research, key stages in the development of the discipline were identified, and their conceptual justification is demonstrated by the prospect of further expansion of the sound turn outside the Western context.

Research materials

1. Исследования звука в современной культуре // НИУ «Высшая школа экономики». https://www.hse.ru/edu/courses/835244945
2. Серия книг «История звука» // Новое литературное обозрение (НЛО). https://www.nlobooks.ru/books/istoriya_zvuka/
3. Acoustic Ecology Review. https://journals.lib.sfu.ca/index.php/aer/index
4. Graduate Program in Music and Sound Studies // Cornell University. https://music.cornell.edu/graduate-program-music-and-sound-studies
5. Sound Studies and Sonic Arts (Master of Arts) // Universität der Künste Berlin. https://www.udk-berlin.de/en/courses/sound-studies-and-sonic-arts-master-of-arts/
6. Sound Studies: An Interdisciplinary Journal. https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/rfso20/about-this-journal#aims-and-scope

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About this article

Publication history

• Received: July 25, 2025.
• Published: August 21, 2025.

Keywords

• звуковой поворот
• звуковая культура
• звуковые исследования
• звуковой ландшафт
• sound turn
• sound culture
• sound studies
• soundscape

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© 2025 The Author(s)
© 2025 Gramota Publishing, LLC

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