ASSIGNMENT
Cultivating a Culture of Listening:
Mapping Sound in Community Research
Introduction
While traditional maps offer visual representations of location data, Mapping Sound provides alternative insights by engaging multiple senses. These maps assign sounds to specific data points, aiding information delivery and unveiling nuanced community details. Rodaway's (1994) concept of sonic geography describes how sound delineates physical landscapes and encapsulates socio-economic exchanges, offering a theoretical foundation for this sensory-based mapping approach. In this practice, you will explore the Mapping Sound method as part of Sonic Rhetorics. This tool aims to cultivate a culture of listening within community research projects, particularly focusing on integrating sound dimensions into research essays addressing community-based issues. Through this assignment, you will deepen your understanding of sound's impact on communities and develop a greater sensitivity to listening in the research process.
Objective:
Sonic Rhetorics engages in Mapping Sound as an exploratory practice. The purpose of this tool is to foster a culture of listening within community research projects. This assignment focuses on the dimensions of sound applied to research essays, where students develop community-based issues. Seeks to promote a deeper understanding of the influence of sound on communities and encourage hearing sensitivity in the research process.
Assignment Details:
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Choose a topic of interest: Students will choose a research topic related to issues or topics of interest in their community. One example may be a topic related to a community issue that you are already researching or are about to research, such as one of the course essays.
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Preliminary sonic research: Focus on how sound relates to a specific theme or topic. You may want to examine the sonic dimensions of discourse related to your topic, including podcasts, interviews, radio news, sound files from social networks, as well as culturally significant songs.
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Start Sound Mapping: Students will use the Sound Mapping technique to create a visual map depicting how sound correlates with their research topic. By listening deeply to an area, you can identify what sounds are characteristic and identify relevant sound sources. To enhance your listening experience, you can make a list of the most distinctive sounds. Create visual representations of your research results using paper, markers, or digital tools. Detail the sound elements associated with your topic and their interrelationships, using symbols, colors, or notations to distinguish various aspects of sound.
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Reflection and Analysis: Students will reflect on their sound mapping process and analyze how understanding sound has enriched their research. They will be asked to consider how sound influences community experiences and perspectives related to the research topic.
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Reflect on positionalities: Consider the positionalities of communities or individuals regarding the sonic elements you have mapped. How do different groups perceive and interact with these sounds? What cultural, political, or social significance do these sounds hold for various stakeholders?
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Document Your Process: Take photos or make notes to document your sound map’s creative process. Reflect on any insights or observations that emerged during the mapping process.
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Share your findings: Present your sound map and research findings to your peers and instructor, emphasizing the connections between sound and community issues. During the presentation, discuss your insights into Sonic Rhetorics and how mapping sound aided your understanding of the relationship between sound and persuasion in your chosen topic. Encourage discussion and idea exchange with your peers on how fostering a culture of listening can enhance research and promote community participation.
Conclusion:
The assignment provides students with a profound understanding of Sonic Rhetorics and its implications for community engagement. Sound Mapping has provided students with valuable insights into the relationship between sound, communication practices, and social influence. By fostering a culture of listening, this assignment not only enriches research practices but also promotes meaningful dialogue and participation within communities. Through the persuasive power of sound, may we continue to amplify voices, foster understanding, and effect positive change in our communities as we continue our exploration of Sonic Rhetorics.