Sound ecology is the entanglement between the multiscalar and cosmic possibilities of exploring the noises, songs, voices, cracks, echoes, silences, and the crashes of our planet and immense Universe. Sound does not only happen outside our ears but also deep within our internal and biological human experience. 

Earth's symphony extends far beyond the ozone layer, weaving its way into the very fabric of life and the cosmos. From the tiniest microorganisms to the vast expanse of matter, we are constantly transformed, both mentally and physically, by the sonic and cultural vibrations of our urban and natural environments. Yet, these intricate entanglements often go unnoticed by a culture fixated on the visual, failing to recognize listening as a powerful tool for self and collective care. By Giving attention to the sounds around us, we can unlock exciting possibilities for forging new systems of kinship and interconnectedness.

What happens when we try to understand the planetary siblinghood between all sentience through the way we listen and communicate to the diversity of what is the “other”? By delving into the exploration of multiple fields of research like sonic technology, listening methodologies, queer theory, colonialism, field recording, and interspecies communication we will collectively shift our perspective towards the Phonocene, a vision of the future that proposes sound and active listening in the center of an era, a new era of expansive care, that resists capitalism’s hunger for growth, a slower era that promotes radical ecological change. 

Through theory, artistic practices, active listening sessions, and meditation we will collectively engage in critical dialogues that will expand our notion of a postnatural ecology in an anthropo-oculocentric society.

Sesion I – The Impossibility of Silence: Aural Futures of the Phonocene  22/09/2025  

Soundscape is better defined as the raw composition of sounds that fills an environment, while the phonocene is a proposition to inhabit and generate kinships with the sonic at the center. What changes can be manifested when we understand the entanglements between the exterior acoustic environment and the frequencies of our emotions, memories, and dreams? What do you feel when you think of the sound of a bird that has gone extinct? 

Session II – Interspecies Communication and Technologies of Misunderstanding 29/09/2025

To truly engage in interspecies communication, we must first dismantle the human/animal binary as best we can. An anthropocentric approach to interspecies communication inherently creates questionable hierarchies. Field recordings and artificial intelligence, for example, can help us reflect on the differences between sonic extraction, unpaid labour, right to privacy and new means of scientific care. 

Session III – Rainbow Interference  / Sonic Gendering and Queer Dissonant Revolutions  6/10/2025

Think of all the sounds that have been applied to construct gender norms and oppress dissident identities. Sonic gendering questions the implications sound has on culture, economy, technology, and politics. Within an oculocentric society that privileges sight over sound, the act of attentive listening itself becomes a queer form of resistance, challenging gender-normative visual and acoustic power dynamics.

Session IV – Dedicated Mishearing: Listening as a Form of Resistance  13/10/2025

In this session, we will focus on active listening as a practice for radical ecological care. We will collectively explore different methodologies and histories that will affirm the difference between hearing as a passive attribute to some humans and listening as an expanded act of intent that requires slowing down and mutual respect. 

Yuri Tuma Yuri Tuma is a multidisciplinary Brazilian artist living in Madrid who focuses on the investigation of contemporary narratives related to sonic ecologies through collective practices, sound art, installation, and performance as a way to address and reevaluate the human/animal binomial imposed by science and Western thinking. In early 2020, he co-founded the Institute for Postnatural Studies (IPS) in Madrid. Starting in 2021, in addition to participating in residencies and coordinating workshops around interspecies thinking and sound ecologies, Tuma works with educational and mediation programs through sound art and performance at Spanish institutions such as Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Matadero, La Casa Encendida, INLAND, among others.

Despret, Vinciane. Living as a Bird. Cambridge: Polity Press, 2016. Schafer, R. Murray. The Soundscape: Our Sonic Environment and the Tuning of the World. Rochester, VT: Destiny Books, 1994. Gumbs, Alexis Pauline. Undrowned: Black Feminist Lessons from Marine Mammals. Emergent Strategy Series, Vol. 2. Chico, CA: AK Press, 2020. Haskell, David George. Sounds Wild and Broken: Sonic Marvels, Evolution’s Creativity, and the Crisis of Sensory Extinction. New York: Viking, 2022. Oliveros, Pauline. Deep Listening: A Composer’s Sound Practice. New York: iUniverse, 2005. Carlyle, Angus, and Cathy Lane, eds. On Listening. Devon: Uniformbooks, 2013. Eckhardt, Julia, ed. Grounds for Possible Music: On Gender, Voice, Language, and Identity. Berlin: Errant Bodies Press, 2016. Mustill, Tom. How to Speak Whale: A Voyage into the Future of Animal Communication. London: William Collins, 2022.

Are the sessions live or pre-recorded? All sessions are live via Zoom, every Monday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. (CEST/Madrid time). Each session will be recorded and made available shortly afterward, so you can catch up if you miss any.

When do the sessions take place? Sessions are held weekly on Mondays, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. (CEST). Once enrolled, you will receive the Zoom access link along with further information.

How long will I have access to the recordings and materials? You will have access to all recordings and course materials throughout the seminar and for two weeks after it ends.

Where can I access the course materials? All seminar materials—including recordings, readings, and additional resources—will be shared in a dedicated online folder.

Will the bibliography be shared in advance? Yes. All readings, references, and links will be shared before each session, to give you time to prepare.

Will I receive a certificate? Yes. Upon completing the seminar, you will receive a non-official certificate of participation issued by the Institute for Postnatural Studies.

Do you offer any discounts or scholarships? Yes. We offer a 20% discount for students and IPS alumni. You’ll be asked to provide documentation (e.g., proof of university enrollment or past IPS participation).

If cost is a barrier, you may also request financial aid by filling out this form. We will evaluate your case individually.

Are discounts cumulative? No, discounts cannot be combined. However, the 20% discount applies if you’re a student, an IPS alumni, or if you bundle this seminar with another IPS activity.