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Lecturer(s)
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Hanáčková Andrea, doc. Mgr. Ph.D.
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Course content
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Course Content: Soundscapes as Concept and Practice - Soundscape theory, sound morphology Geophony, Speleophony, Media Archaeology, Deep Ecology Sounds, Codes, Images, Community - Projects from Hackney (London), 50 Miles (Dresden, Germany), St. John's (Newfoundland, Canada), Zkouška sirén (Czech Republic) Audiowalks - Creating sound maps as part of the cultural and creative industries Field Recording - Local case studies and the diversity of sonic perception Sonification of WWII Memory - Rozeznění Lidice (2012), Terezín as a case study in sonic memory, Silver A Sonic Stolpersteine - The performativity of sound in relation to the Holocaust: Terezín Ghetto, Hanácký Jerusalem (Prostějov), Auschwitz, Plaszow, Sobibor Perception of Sound and Sonic Transparency - World Listening Day, sound in the discourse of public space From Rural to Post-Industrial Soundscapes - The Industrial Revolution and its sonic legacy Politics of Sound - Acoustic power, sound activism, the right to silence, noise regulation, and acoustic gentrification AI and Sonic Models - Mapping urban soundscapes, predictive noise modeling, generative soundscapes Inaudible Soundscapes and the Phenomenon of Silence - Sound therapy and the healing potential of sound RadioAtelier, RadioArt, Acousmatic Art - The soundscape in public service media and as an expression of the public interest
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Learning activities and teaching methods
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Lecture, Dialogic Lecture (Discussion, Dialog, Brainstorming), Work with Text (with Book, Textbook), Observation, Activating (Simulations, Games, Dramatization), Group work, Analyzing and producing soundtrack, Analyzing and producing audiovisual content, Listening
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Learning outcomes
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September - December 2025 - New Course Accredited within the NPO "Green Skills" Initiative This course emphasizes the sustainability of the academic field of radio and sound studies, with a specific focus on acoustic ecology and soundscape research. Through a series of thematic explorations, the course examines the relationships between environmental sounds, their cultural and ecological meanings, and the ways in which humans perceive and interpret them. We begin with attentive observation of a specific sound environment selected by each student, who will monitor it over a longer period through a sound diary (artistic research). The course pays special attention to dialogical forms between sound and space, including audiowalks, sound installations, sound art, and radio art. The course bridges theoretical frameworks (e.g. R. Murray Schafer, Barry Truax, Hildegard Westerkamp) with practical approaches to listening and sonic creation. It focuses on how activists, ecologists, artists, and documentarians engage with public and media spaces to promote sustainable forms of economy, stewardship, creativity, and production. Teaching methods include lectures, listening seminars, text analysis, outdoor exercises, and discussion formats. Students will gain hands-on experience with field recording methods, the use of technologies (such as silent disco), and the design of their own acoustic projects. The course also includes a visit to and collaboration with the ecological center Sluňákov in Horka nad Moravou, as well as participation in the Brno and Prague circles of Soundwalks (led by Tomáš Šenkyřík and Miloš Vojtěchovský).
During the course, through self-study, listening exercises, discussions, and fieldwork, students will develop the following competencies: They understand the subject of acoustic ecology and selected areas of sound studies. They are able to reflect on sound in relation to a specific space. They can abstract the auditory experience from the complex audiovisual perception and discuss it using appropriate technical terminology. They are sensitive to the sonic environment and aware of (un)sustainability and noise pollution in specific locations. They are familiar with key studies in the fields of acoustic ecology and sound studies in both Czech and English, and are able to interpret them at the level of an abstract. They know important international and Czech projects in the field of soundwalks, audiowalks, and sonic guides. They can describe, localize, and characterize them, highlighting their specific features. They have personally experienced at least one audiowalk and are able to reflect on and narrate that experience. They have become acquainted with at least one creator working in the field of audiowalks, soundscapes, or field recording, and have had the opportunity to engage in discussion with them.
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Prerequisites
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The course does not require any specific skills. It aims to cultivate awareness, attention, and mindfulness in relation to our environment, landscape, present and past sounds, and the multisensory perception of the world. It is intended exclusively for bachelor's level students and is suitable for all three years of study.
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Assessment methods and criteria
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Oral exam, Analysis of Creative works (Music, Pictorial,Literary), Final project
The course includes joint listening sessions and discussions during lectures, therefore in-person attendance is emphasized. At the same time, students are required to listen to selected programs at home, making written notes that serve as a basis for seminar discussions. This may also include a brief written response to a question on Moodle. Through these activities, students learn to formulate their own opinions, acquire technical terminology, and are encouraged to independently interpret what they hear or apply a scholarly concept or the main thesis of a study to the listening material. As part of the course, students are expected to engage with several academic texts. Their comprehension is assessed through Moodle-based questions and seminar discussions. Throughout part of the semester, each student keeps a Diary of a Specific Sound Environment of their own choosing. Through this exercise, they learn to conduct independent research, apply theoretical concepts, develop sonic awareness, and strengthen their sense of presence and mindfulness. If the course includes a field trip, excursion, or outing (which may also take place in the evening and involve travel by bus from Olomouc to Horka), students are expected to attend in person. The final assessment takes the form of an oral exam, with an emphasis on integrating theoretical knowledge, personal sonic experience, and the required listening materials.
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Recommended literature
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