Vibrational Affect

Abstract

This article examines the theoretical, methodological, and practical possibilities of sound for qualitative research. Moving from an understanding that sounds are a form of vibrational affect, the author argues that sound can be articulated as resonance and knowledge in ways that are significant to human experiences of sensation and signification. These conceptualizations of sound are then used to articulate processes of data collection, analysis, and representation for a sounded methodological practice called sonic ethnography. In keeping with the tone and tenor of this special issue and the developing field of sound studies, the third section considers whether sounds need to be categorized as “data” to be of value to qualitative researchers. A final brief section describes the construction and sounds presented in the accompanying sound/work that serves as a performative example of how sounded representations of sonic ethnography can function in practice. The associated sound/work can be found here: https://soundcloud.com/vibrationalaffect/gershon .