The production of social space through sound: A social work perspective on the auditory dimension of social spaces

Presenter: Anna Hampel (Hamburg, DE)

Abstract

Social work as a discipline and profession deals with human interactions, social processes and human-environment relationships (e.g. IFSW 2014) and is therefore inherently related to questions about space and listening. But while sound and sonic practices are essentially associated with space or spatiality in sound studies (Pedersen/Vilmar 2021), the dimension of “sound” seems to have received little attention in German social work, especially in relation to the idea of “social space”, which has become widely influential in recent years (Kessl/Reutlinger 2022). The presentation explores the intersections between social space discourse within Social Work and Sound Studies, highlighting opportunities to apply the theories and practices of Sound Studies from a Social Work perspective. It will explore how sonic practices shape social spaces, referencing concepts like (sonic) strategies and tactics (Certeau 1988), and will examine how different actors use sound to claim or negotiate space, or at times employ it as a means to exclude or displace others within shared environments. This may manifest as sounds functioning as instruments of power (Goodman 2012) or as resources that foster sonic agency (LaBelle 2020) and build community.