Magdalena Zorn – This Is Not Music: Acoustheology in Late Modernism

In late modernity, sound has become a central concept: from ASMR and data sonification to ecological and social-theoretical models, the world is increasingly being “heard” rather than merely observed. Music and acoustics promise connection, meaning, and immersion.

In This is not music , Magdalena Zorn examines this development through the lens of “acoustheology”—a way of thinking in which sound takes on almost religious functions and shapes worldviews. Music thus becomes a universal explanatory model, often linked to the celebration of resonance and sonic unity.

Zorn takes a critical look at this euphoria: where sound promises closeness and harmony, it can also give rise to conformity, exclusion, and the loss of distance. The book therefore calls for a thoughtful examination of the power of listening in contemporary culture.