New Books in Sound Studies

By: New Books Network
Listen for free

  • Summary

  • Interviews with scholars of sound about their new books. Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sound-studies
    New Books Network
    Show More Show Less
Social Sciences
Show More Show Less
Episodes
  • Lauren E. Osborne, "Hearing Islam: The Sounds of a Global Religious Tradition" (Routledge, 2024)

    Lauren E. Osborne, "Hearing Islam: The Sounds of a Global Religious Tradition" (Routledge, 2024)
    Mar 15 2025
    In Hearing Islam: The Sounds of a Global Religious Tradition, Lauren Osborne delves into the sonic dimensions of Islam, exploring how the tradition’s rich soundscape offers deep insights into culture, identity, and spirituality. In this innovative work, Osborne shifts the focus from the written word to the auditory, asking, "What can we learn about Islam when we enter through its sounds, instead of books?" This approach provides a unique lens through which to study the intersections of modernity, belonging, and pluralism in Muslim-majority cultures. The book explores the centrality of sound within Islam, from the recitation of the Qur’an to the daily practices of prayer, the call to prayer (adhaan), and the sonic expressions found in Islamic chantings, nasheeds, qawwalis, and even contemporary genres like hip-hop. Osborne also tackles the underexplored intersection of deafness and Islam, shedding light on how the experience of deafness intersects with a traditionally "hearing" religion. In today’s interview, Osborne discusses the core themes of the book, including the debates around music’s role in Islam, the relationship between Sufism and music, and the significant cultural conversations surrounding hip-hop’s place within the Islamic world. This book is an essential resource for students of Islam, religious studies, world music, and anyone interested in the profound role of sound in shaping human experiences across diverse cultures. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sound-studies
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 41 mins
  • Karl Berglund, "Reading Audio Readers: Book Consumption in the Streaming Age" (Bloomsbury, 2024)

    Karl Berglund, "Reading Audio Readers: Book Consumption in the Streaming Age" (Bloomsbury, 2024)
    Mar 13 2025
    What is the future of reading? In Reading Audio Readers: Book Consumption in the Digital Age (Bloombury, 2024), Karl Berglund, Assistant Professor in Literature at Department of Literature and Rhetoric at Upsala University, examines the rise of audiobooks as a new mode of reading books. The analysis draws on digital humanities methods and a detailed industry case study to show who are the readers of audiobooks, how those readers engage and consume books, what sort of genres are most popular, and crucially how all of this us impacting on the publishing industry. The research also picks up on important themes of continuity and change represented by audiobooks, from ongoing issues of inequalities through to the new forms of writing practice and AI generated narrators. A richly detailed but easily accessible text, the book is essential reading for scholars across academia, as well as anyone interested in reading! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sound-studies
    Show More Show Less
    39 mins
  • John Cage: Echoes of the Anechoic

    John Cage: Echoes of the Anechoic
    Mar 10 2025
    Today we explore the mythology around John Cage’s visit to the anechoic chamber. The chamber was designed to completely eliminate echoes. Ironically, the tale of Cage’s experience in that space has echoed through history, affecting our understanding of silence, sound, and the self. But what do we really know about what happened there? And what could we ever know about such an event? In this audio essay, based on a piece that first appeared in the Australian Humanities Review, Mack Hagood explores the relationship between sound, self, and meaning-making. To use a term Cage loved, the truth is indeterminate. For our Patreon members we have bonus content: Mack’s “What’s Good” segment. Join at patreon.com/phantompower. Writing and media content featured in this episode: Mack’s essay “Cage’s Echoes of the Anechoic,” in AHR Issue 70 (2022). Nam June Paik’s 1973 video Global Groove John Cage’s 1959 album with David Tudor, Indeterminacy John Cage’s book Silence (Wesleyan, 1961). The video Can Silence Actually Drive you Crazy by Veritasium Terry Gross’s 2014 Fresh Air interview with Trevor Cox The album Naxi Live by Jang San and the Dayan Naxi orchestra Shani Diluka’s performance of “Glassworks: Opening” by Philip Glass Amit Pinchevsky’s book Echo (MIT, 2022) Helen Rees’ book Echoes of History: Naxi Music in Modern China (Oxford, 2011) Today’s show was written and edited by Mack Hagood. Original music and sound design by Mack Hagood. Special thanks to Monique Rooney and Australian Humanities Review Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/sound-studies
    Show More Show Less
    29 mins

What listeners say about New Books in Sound Studies

Average customer ratings

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Audible.co.uk reviews

Amazon reviews
No Reviews are Available