© Democratic Noise
Peer-reviewed article

Democratic Noise

Improvisation, democratic conversation and Free Jazz Mod Paludan

Af
  • Zenia Børsen,
  • Jakob Kjær Bødker
11. december 2023

Democratic conversation and collectively improvised music have such pronounced similarities that improvisations can be discussed in terms of their democratic potentiality. To do this, we firstly develop a democratic-communicative understanding of music as a communicative social interaction holding democratic potentials. This is done by applying the German philosopher and sociologist Jürgen Habermas’ ideals for democratic conversation towards a musical context.

Secondly, we turn to our case study, Free Jazz Mod Paludan, a Danish activist community effort utilizing improvised musical noise as an audible protest against fascism and racism. Based on our theoretical understanding, we develop an analytically applicable framework structured through three levels of sociality. On a micro-social level, our analysis shows that the fulfillment of the democratic potentials of noise varies through both the establishment and lack of social ties between improvising Free Jazz Mod Paludan participants. On a meso-social level, noise shows to have potentials to both drown out contributions to the democratic conversation, as well as protecting and giving voice to marginalized groups. On a macro-social level, we find that Free Jazz Mod Paludan’s improvised noise potentially articulates specific political statements within a wider political discourse.

This elucidates the complex ways in which collectively improvised music and noise acts in a democratic conversation calling for critical attention towards democratic potentiality.

© PR
Peer-reviewed audio paper

Cochlear implantation surgery

Soundscapes, textures and manipulations

Af
  • Andile Lindokuhle Sibiya,
  • Kevin Gordon,
  • Matthias Kispert 
11. december 2023

Abstract

 Kevin J Gordon1; Matthias Kispert 2, 3 Andile L Sibiya 4,5 
 
1 Department of Music, College of Humanities, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa; 
2 Centre for Research and Education in Arts and Media (CREAM), University of Westminster, London, UK; 
3 London College of Communication, University of the Arts London, London, UK. 
4 Discipline of Otorhinolaryngology, School of Clinical Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa; 
5 KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health, South Africa 

Operating rooms are typically noise filled environments, where polyrhythms and polyphonics of human and non-human sounds collide. In this paper the operating room soundscape is used for relational ethnographic exploration, framed in critical affect theory, and brings together insights from medical sociology and sound studies.  

This paper is set in an operating theatre where cochlear implantation surgery is taking place. In the process of surgically enabling sound perception.  Sounds within the operating room are found to have agency warranting conscious perception.  Within the composition, we reflect on multiple interdependencies through sound, between individuals, teams, tools and machines.  Through inclusion of human and non-human sounds we see chaos and conflict, independence and co-dependence, and ultimately collaboration in a shared goal of both human and non-human elements to achieve the best outcome for the patient asleep on the operating table.  

In this paper sounds are intrinsic essential actors as sound perception is surgically restored.  Sound is acknowledged in its action as a key component of the operating room team.