Call | Audible Futures: Media, Ecology, and Art

March 28-29, 2025
Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea

We invite proposals for individual papers (20 minutes) on any topics related to the conference theme “Audible Futures: Media, Ecology, and Art,” broadly defined.

The conference will focus on three main categories, each examined through the lens of political and cultural critique:

1. Media and Communication

2. Environmental Sound and Acoustic Ecology

3. Sound Art and Music

We welcome submissions that address these categories, exploring how sound and technology shape—and are shaped by—political, social, and cultural forces.

Topics of Interest

Submissions may address, but are not limited to, the following sub-topics:

1. Media and Communication:

• Power dynamics in digital audio technologies and media production
• Politics of voice and representation in podcasting and audio storytelling
• Surveillance and privacy issues in audio technologies
• Sonic warfare and the weaponization of sound in media
• Cultural imperialism and globalization in music streaming platforms

2. Environmental Sound and Acoustic Ecology:

• Sound as a tool for environmental activism and awareness
• Politics of noise pollution in urban planning and policy
• Indigenous sound practices and environmental stewardship
• Acoustic gentrification and the right to the city
• Bioacoustics as political ecology

3. Sound Art and Music:

• Decolonizing sound art and music practices
• Gender politics in electronic music and sound technology
• Accessibility and inclusivity in new musical interfaces
• Political resistance through experimental music and sound art
• Archival politics and the preservation of marginalized sonic cultures

Presentation Format

• Free Paper: Each paper is given 20 minutes for presentation, followed by 10 minutes of discussion.
• Panel Presentation: Each panel presentation will be a 90/120-minute session with three to five papers, including time for discussion.
• The conference will be in-person only, with no online or hybrid presentation options available.

Submission Guidelines

Each proposal should include the following:

• Title of presentation
• Name(s) of presenter(s)
• Format (paper or panel)
• Abstract (no more than 250 words)
• Presenter bio (no more than 100 words)
• Email address

An individual may submit no more than one proposal in each category. The maximum length of abstracts is 250 words for each individual abstract and panel description. Panel proposals should include an abstract for each panelist and an overarching abstract for the session as a whole.

All submissions will undergo a peer review process. Accepted abstracts will be invited for presentation at the conference, and presenters will have the opportunity to publish an extended version of their work in the conference proceedings.

Submission Deadline

• Abstract submission deadline: December 31, 2024
• Notification of acceptance: January 31, 2025
• Conference dates: March 28–29, 2025

Submission Process

Please submit your abstract through our online submission system at here. Ensure that your submission adheres to the formatting guidelines provided on the website.

We encourage submissions that challenge conventional thinking, propose innovative methodologies, and contribute to a critical understanding of the politics of sound and listening in our technologically mediated world. “Audible Futures: Media, Ecology, and Art” aims to foster interdisciplinary dialogue and inspire new directions in research that address the complex relationships between sound, technology, culture, and power.

Join us in this critical exploration of the politics of sound and listening. Your contribution will be invaluable in shaping the discourse around this vital area of study and in advancing our understanding of the role of sound and technology in contemporary society. For any queries, please contact the conference organizers at rethinking[dot]sound[at]gmail[dot]com. We look forward to your submissions and to engaging in thought-provoking discussions at the conference!

For further information visit the conference website.