About the Talk:

This talk situates sound as a critical resource in the rhetorical arsenal of contemporary activism. Advancing his theory of “sound tactics,” Justin Eckstein argues that the qualities of immediacy, intensity, and immersion uniquely position sound to compel institutional response. Through an analysis of the March for Our Lives movement, Eckstein demonstrates how the sonic dimensions of protest generated an affective urgency that reframed public discourse on gun violence. This case illustrates rhetoric’s broader contribution to sound studies by showing how auditory practices shape conditions of resistance, accountability, and collective judgment.